Care & Support

• Counseling:
  Kolkata Sanved has developed specialized techniques that use dance and movement as alternative approaches to traditional counseling. Regular therapy classes are held with survivors of trafficking and vulnerable groups including street children in shelter homes, drop-in centers and schools, mental health patients, children suffering from HIV/AIDS, and domestic workers.
• Building positive attitudes and body image:
  Kolkata Sanved helps victims of violence to re-discover the beauty of life – a beauty that many had lost faith in. Unlocking their own creativity and artistic abilities and realizing the power and beauty of their own bodies allows them to reclaim their identities and feel comfortable with themselves. Kolkata Sanved creates a safe space for both body and mind.
• Empowerment:
  Kolkata Sanved's therapeutic process transforms “victims” into bold and creative artists. Sanved provides a platform to excel and recognize one's own potential. Students in the classes have the chance to develop their own ideas, express themselves in an innovative way, and to perform. Through teamwork, encouragement and involvement of every member of the class, Kolkata Sanved helps each person strengthen his or her spirit so they may take charge of his or her own life.

Group facilitation and discussion empowers the participants through rights-based awareness. This process has three goals:

1. to transform traumatized and disadvantaged populations into confident, bold and expressive artists and advocates of their own rights
2. to impart skill development in order to train these participants as peer educators and youth advocates
3. to raise awareness and sensitize people on issues of trafficking, sexual exploitation, HIV/AIDS, and violence against women

Advocacy and Awareness campaign

Kolkata Sanved advocates Dance Movement Therapy and women's rights through public meetings, seminars, conferences and performances in partnership with other NGOs at the national and international level. Kolkata Sanved not only seeks to raise awareness about the power of Dance Movement Therapy, but also seeks to engage civil society institutions as well as the government in dialogue to generate awareness and policy change on health, education, trafficking, sexual violence, and HIV/AIDS issues.

People in public places and villages usually do not like to listen to speeches or read pamphlets. They are not receptive to the messages conveyed in such a manner, so most awareness campaign efforts usually have little impact. Kolkata Sanved has found a way to break the barriers of traditional awareness communication efforts by conveying key messages in an artistic and powerful way.

The survivors who perform dances in the Sanved awareness campaigns express the messages through strong self-created movement. During the performance the audience begins to respect the ‘performer' and is ready to listen to her. An open, communicative relationship is built between the viewer and the performer, rendering the viewer receptive to new ideas. When performing the survivors feel the freedom to express themselves in the way they wish to. The body, which has so far been abused, exploited, violated and objectified is now transformed into a creative agent of expression and this makes an enormous positive impact on the survivors' self image.

Creating opportunity for rehabilitation, reintegration, and livelihood.

Kolkata Sanved's Dance Movement Therapy Program has helped many young men and women in their healing process and along their way to reintegration in mainstream activities and self-sufficiency. Young women who underwent the therapy process are now working with several NGOs as dance movement therapy trainers through Kolkata Sanved. They conduct workshops, choreograph performances, and conduct sessions independently. These young women are also peer educators, youth mentors, activists, and campaign designers using the performing arts.

Training of the Trainers Programme (TOT):
This past year, Kolkata Sanved has been training 10 women and one young man to learn about the Dance Therapy process and to build confidence so that they can become future leaders implementing dance therapy in their own communities. The training includes leadership, counseling, documentation, photography, legal matters, dance movement therapy and more.