Kolkata Sanved: Empowering Lives Through Dance
                                                             The Story of Courage, Hope and Dreams

   1. Promoting gender equality
   2. Empowering Women
   3. Reducing inequality faced by socially and economically backward groups

 We envision a healthy, violence-free, gender-equal, creative society of empowered individuals.

Kolkata Sanved (KS) is a women-led organization, working with survivors of marginalization and gender-based violence, toward prevention of violence and poor mental health and promotion of physical, mental and social well-being through the medium of Dance Movement Therapy (DMT). In an effort to achieve this, we aim to establish a Centre of Excellence (COE) by developing the Institute of Creative Wellbeing and Social Change

For last two decades, KS has broken new ground by taking its work to various non-profits, marginalized communities, mainstream schools, NGO & GO run care institutions, mental hospitals etc., by collaborating with 60+ organizations and government departments across South Asia. Along with this, the establishment of an academic program in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai has grounded the process in academia, leading to respect and acceptance both at practice and at academic levels. To date, Kolkata Sanved has served 65,000+ members of marginalized communities and connected with 200,000+ citizens.  

1 Dance Movement Therapy is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive and physical integration of the individual.” (www.adta.org)

Innovation:
Kolkata Sanved (KS) has carved a niche for itself in the field of social development, mental health and well-being using DMT. KS works for empowerment of marginalized individuals- including women, youth & children survivors of violence- through Dance Movement Therapy (DMT). KS has created the Sampoornata approach to DMT, through
which we work for psychosocial rehabilitation of survivors of violence & marginalization, prevention of violence & promotion of mental health. The hallmark of Sampoornata is the survivors to leaders approach. Individuals from marginalized communities train as DMT practitioners and leaders. 70% of KS core staff are from marginalized communities. KS leadership includes primary constituents, represented on the Board & Senior Leadership Team.The enduring journey truly needs to find avenues and platforms to spread, to reach more and more people to know and join hands to contribute towards this noble cause of enlightening human lives & livelihood.

Bringing Adolescent Girls Leadership a core tenant of KS’s system change work for prevention of trafficking and gender-based violence:
KS’s model has focused on empowering individuals by bringing about a “change within”. However, in the course of its work KS has become increasingly aware of the effect of social systems on the attainment of wellbeing. As a result through community wellbeing club KS wants to strengthen the interconnectedness between self-care and collective care as well as personal wellbeing and social wellbeing. This move is informed by the principle of empowerment, a core tenet of KS’s work. This has also translated into deep empathy and a keen understanding of what will work in resource poor settings.

Dance for Revolution is our Campaign to Stand against Gender Based Violence

Heal, Transform and Empower: DMT Trauma healing & recovery sessions at Child Care Institutions:

Community Awareness Campaigns
Collaborative network members speaking at the community awareness campaign, members of the collaborative network spoke of the power of DMT sessions in building communities.
Adolescent girls developed psychosocial skills to respond to risks of trafficking
“Before attending DMT, I would parrot everything. I was locked up in a cage. I was scared of the outside world and had to abide by societal rules. Once I lstarted attending DMT sessions, my thoughts changed and it bought changes within me. I learned to accept myself and others, create safe boundaries and build self-confidence.”

Quote by ~ An adolescent girl who participated in the Well-Being Club programme

DMTLDA Graduation Ceremony 2023: Dance Movement Therapy Leadership Development Academy (DMTLDA): The marginalized emerge as DMT Practitioners and Change Leaders.