WECAN Staff Training

Bangalore Rural Educational and Development Society (BREADS) organised a three-day staff training cum meeting for the programme staff of its Women Empowerment Through Collective Action and Networks (WECAN) programme on 16,17 and 18 February 2022 at Don Bosco Provincial House, Bangalore.

The meeting commenced with the lighting of the lamp followed by the inaugural address by Fr. Sebastian (Rector, DBPH Bangalore). Fr Deepu Mathew (Asst. Director, BREADS Bangalore) also graced the occasion with his presence. In their respective addresses, the dignitaries emphasised education as a means of empowering women, which creates wide avenues of opportunities for them.

The sessions on the formation of society, routes of patriarchy, and legal provisions for women empowerment were handled by Ms. Celine (Treasurer & Coordinator, Crisis Intervention Centre, Vimochana) and Ms. Ameena (Coordinator of LGBTQIA, Vimochana). The facilitators provided an opportunity for the participants to have a discussion on women’s rights and share their experiences while applying theory into practice. At the end of each session, the participants were asked to present their ideas, which was followed by questions and answers.

The importance of reporting and documentation was also discussed during the session by the BREADS team. Along with the 4 WECAN coordinators from four districts of Karnataka, 20 other important stakeholders such as ASHA workers and Anganwadi teachers also took part in the programme. The training created an excellent opportunity for the participants to share their ideas and put them into action.