Date: August 9, 2005

Nobody in Mumbai needs to be reminded of the devastation caused by the recent unprecedented rains on the 26th and 27th July 05. So many people have suffered so much and it will be a long time before the full costs can be accurately estimated.

The Women’s India Trust (“WIT”) is just one of many organizations to have been cruelly hit by this year’s monsoon, but few can have felt the full force of the damage or now be in such stark need as WIT’s production center at Panvel. It is here that so much of the work of educating and providing employment for poor and needy women takes place - our food production center, block printing, screen printing and toy making, the free nursing course for young girls, the kindergarten and the Day Care Centre for babies.

The flood damage has been nothing short of catastrophic. Most of our produce and material – fruits and fabrics – have been washed away; so have the gas cylinders and connections and inevitably, we have been without electricity and drinking water; the facilities in the canteen, the Balwadi and the Day Care Centre – babies’ cots, chairs, cooking utensils – are all gone; the retaining wall separating our premises from the creek collapsed as flood waters rose to 7.5 feet.

But it is not just the loss of plant and equipment that has had such a dire effect. Our lady workers, many of whom have lost their homes and are left with no more than the cloths they stand up in, cannot work until the premises are restored. They cannot work; they cannot earn. And in so many cases, they alone are the family’s breadwinners.

Our wage workers came from the surrounding areas and villages such as Shirdhon, Wadghar, Patel Mohlla and other parts of Raighad District. The women living in near the creek have lost all their household belonging and some are homeless.

WIT have been able to assist only few women and their families with immediate basic necessities which were required like stove, mats, bed sheets, towels, old and new clothes, water filter, rice, dal, sugar, oil and immediate preventive medication. This contribution is just a drop in an ocean. We still have many more to assist.

We have already started the process of ensuring that rehabilitation happens quickly .The WIT Centre in Panvel is being cleaned up and is partially functional since 8th August. This will ensure that their live hood is not hampered. We are providing one cooked meal and tea to all our workers for the next few weeks till they are able to fend for themselves. We are also conducting a survey of severely affected families, assisting them with the relief provided by various agencies, helping them to help themselves by supportive measures through counseling and medical aid whenever required. But there is still so much to be done.

We need 50 lakhs to repair our Panvel production center. And we need help. Your help. As an NGO we are obviously short of funds. Until and unless we can get our centre Panvel up and running again, our workers cannot work. The cost of this repair will be counted in rupees; failure to achieve this aim may mean the cost will be counted in lives.

Please help in whatever way you can.

Anu Aga, ex-Chairman of Thermax India, needs no introduction. Anu was invited to join WIT as President (in place of Begum Ali Yavar Jung) and to WIT’s great fortune, has accepted the position. Anu Aga joined in October.

Prabha Nair the enthusiastic and tireless Chairman continues to steer WIT ably supported by long-term member and Vice Chairman Dolat Kotwal. A new Governing Body member appointed this year is Mrs. Dhanoo Khusrokhan.

Dhanoo was the Dy Commercial Director in Air India and comes with a wealth of Corporate experience. She has already started to make a mark in WIT with her thoroughly professional approach. The Governing Body is today a dedicated group of multi-faceted and talented women takng WIT to greater heights.

Vidya Ranadive, Aroti Hosali and Zakia Khatib, stalwarts of WIT, continue to contribute their advice and help.

Shyamla Nath continues as WIT’s CEO. Working hard to make WIT more efficient, effective and professional, she has proved herself invaluable to the organization.

International Women’s Day was celebrated by about seventy-five Friends of WIT and Donors, all of whom thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Kamini Banga, a reputed Marketing Consultant, was the Chief Guest on the occasion. She spoke effectively, touching on many important and sensitive issues, which the audience really warmed to and appreciated.

A video film, specially prepared on WIT, was screened, receiving an enthusiastic response.

An interesting Quiz on Famous Women was also organized. Many exciting prizes, including a 2-night stay at the Taj Holiday Village, Goa, and other Lucky Draw prizes were presented.
A lavish spread for lunch was thoroughly enjoyed by everyone.

A special ‘Thank You’ to Friend of WIT, Parveez Aggarwal, for so generously allowing us the use of her spacious premises to celebrate the occasion, and for allowing us to use it once again in July to hold the Memorial Meeting for dear Kamila.

An exciting Art Exhibition at the Hacienda Art Gallery with many leading artists donating their paintings for WIT was organized, entirely by Louise Evans.

A sizeable sum was collected. Our thanks to this magnanimous gesture by the artists and to our patrons, some of who were Tomer & Joanna Taur, P & O Nedlloyd (I) Pvt. Ltd., Shobhaa De & Dave Evans. Our special thanks to Punita Thakker, owner of the Hacienda Art Gallery for allowing us to use her premises.

WIT is proud to announce that a band of enthusiastic WIT members will be participating in the Standard Chartered Marathon on 16th January 2005.

Our stalwarts, Prabha Nair, Usha Shah, Dhanoo Khusrokhan, Shyamala Nath and others will be running to raise pledges for WIT! We expect great encouragement from all of you, either in finding sponsors or by pledging any amount (Rs. 100/- upwards) for the runners.

So far, supporters have been:
HDFC, T.J.Thomas, Aloo Khambatta, Asha Michigan, Kamlesh Choksi, Jer Burdi, Bindu Datta, Samyukta Ghosh, Hoshang Nanavati, Alan Rosling, Mahajabeen Mukhtiar, Aspi Bardy, M.S.V.Rao, Jean Maneckji, C.S.Manohar.

Supporters from the U.K. & USA are:
Cornelia Cooper, Dr. John Rodriguez, Smita Shah, Mridula Menon, Geeta Rodriguez, Sujatha Nair, Angela and David Shelverton, Stuart & Kelley Parker.

Our thanks to ALL.

Our Nursery Education Project, conceived and initiated by Louise Evans and followed through by Usha, Dhanoo, Jan & Abha, has received an overwhelming response.

An amount of Rs. 1200/- takes care of the education and facilities for one child for a year.

Our donors are:
Siddharth Mundra, Kalpana Pandya, Peter Stuart, Avantika Sangvi, Charlotte Ann Russell, Anju Agrawal, Yogan Lathia, Dipak Shah, Y.Gokhale, S.R.Dalal, Indravadan Parikh, Homi Khusrokhan, Chaitan Dalal, Amy Rangachar, Gautam Patel, Jimmy Pochkhanawalla, Hoshang Hodiwalla, S.Hopkinson, E.Curtis, Sam Pullan & Elisabeth Namur.

Our Thanks to ALL.

In the twinkling of an eye, the Tardeo Shop was transformed into a magical storehouse of treasures and treats. Re-opening in September, after a brief but hectic work schedule, the Tardeo Shop make-over has worked wonders for WIT.

All this through the innovative and tireless efforts of Prabha Nair and Louise Evans. And of course versatile Suleiman, the interior décor handyman-cum-expert. Furniture from Kamila and Shelley’s Goa flat add a few special touches.

New products have also been introduced. “Kantha”work bedspreads, cushion covers, bags, tablemats, etc. in vibrant colours and eye catching designs, developed by our expert team of Shama Phadke, Jan Pullan, Louise Evans and Prabha Nair. Also new Stationery ideas, Gift Envelopes and Greeting Cards initiated by Abha Mundra.

We thank donors Lois Dichiron and Hopping Bunnies for making all this possible.

Do come by, and as they say so succinctly, shop till you drop!

Every year hectic activity is involved in arranging and participating in sales at homes of friends and sales organized by corporates, NGOs & others.

During the year, Shama Phadke, Abha Mundra, Lalita Menon, Dinoo Swamy, Tehmi Mobedjina, & Sumi Chandrashekar held very successful home sales on our behalf.

WIT also participated in Exhibition-Cum-Sales organized by World Social Forum, Bazm-e-Niswan, Shopper’s Stop, Ashlyn Jane, DBS Corporate Services, Hacienda Art Gallery, Bengal Women’s Association, SNDT, HSBC, Hopping Bunnies, Shanmukananda Hall, American School, Ambani School, Women Graduates Union, American Women’s Club, Upper Crust & INDUS.

These were great opportunities, as it gave us a lot of publicity, created more visibility and public awareness about our organization and also served as a window for sales of all our products.

THANKS to all who made this possible.

At WIT, we dream of someday becoming self-sufficient and financing all the multifaceted activities of WIT through WIT’s own annual income. We hope to get there eventually! But in the meantime, we continue to make every effort possible to raise resources.

This year our sincere thanks go out to all our generous donors:

Late Kamila Tyabji
British Deputy High Commission
United Way
UN Staff 1 % Development Fund
Shree Mahalaxmi Temple Charities
Freni Mohamed Ali Merchant Charitable Trust
Kamila Trust UK
M K Tata Trust
The Bai Alamai & Seth Ardeshir Talati & Seth Sarosh B Mody Charity Trust
Bazm-e-Nswan
INDUS International
The Lotus Trust
ASHA Handicrafts
Birla Sun Life Co
Leverina
Meenakshi Raja
Margaret Mehta
Ratanbhai & H. K. Bhaba Charity Trust
Uday Packaging
ALUTOP
Asesh Gupta
Shanti Gupta
Kemwell
Ammada Trust
Vasant J Sheth Memorial Fund
Abiquaig Women’ s Group
Seth Purshottamdas Thakurdas & Divaliba Charitable Trust
P N Writer Relocations
Women Graduates Union

Many staunch supporters and friends made all this possible. Scylla Vatcha, Shireen Mistry, Pilloo Tata, Dr. Pratap Saraiya, Ketaki Sheth, Dina Daver, Shireen Javeri and many more have helped beyond measure.

THANK YOU.

Our new and improved website clubbed with an all out effort by Shyamala Nath & Dolat Kotwal, resulted in a fair amount of export orders; some for our bed / bath and kitchen linen, some for our stationery, but many more for our food items; especially the Tomato & Raisin Chutney and the Mango & Tomato Chutney. Countries exported to were Germany, U.K. and Spain.

During the year, WIT enrolled many new Life Members: Saudamini Gupta, Farida Nicholson, Asha Shankardas, Dinoo Astad Parakh, Armaity Chinoy, Pravina Patel, Darshana Choksi and Dr. Yasmin Lukmani.

May we request all our existing members to introduce at least one new member to WIT, as every new member add a valuable dimension to WIT’s activities.

We also request members who have not renewed so far, to complete the attached form and return it as soon as possible.

Kamila Tyabji, who has died aged 86, was a determined, vivid and path-breaking woman: after practicing law in London for 25 years, she went home to India to set up the Women's India Trust (WIT), a charity providing women with training and employment.

Born in Bombay (now Mumbai), the daughter of the chief justice Faiz Badruddin Tyabji, Kamila was initially regarded as a wild child, unlikely to follow the family tradition of prominent lawyers. From St. Xavier's College, Bombay, however, in 1936 she went on to St. Hugh's College, Oxford, where she read law and was a contemporary of Indira Gandhi. She is thought to have been the first Muslim woman to go to Oxford.

Called to the bar in London, she established a lucrative practice with a focus on insurance issues. She was the first lawyer to argue a case before the privy council.

Tyabji's private life was equally pioneering. Rather than marrying – “All the men are too frightened of me to marry me,” she once said ruefully – she formed a loose-knit commune of upper-class intellectuals, living not in a squat but in the greater comfort of Park Lane.

When the Bihar famine of 1965-66 occurred, however, Tyabji returned to India, trekked around the state with social activist J P Narayan, helped with his relief work and was shocked by what she encountered. Highly critical of the inadequate bureaucracy – which, she concluded, was too often the result of bumbling male planning – she turned her attention to the development of the women power. She determined to set up something that would satisfy her own high standards of effectiveness and rigour.

The result was the WIT, into which Tyabji poured her money and her energies from its foundation in 1968. Based in Bombay, the trust targeted underprivileged women, offering them the chance to earn money without leaving their homes (problematical now, as then, for many Indian women). Traditional female skills, such as needlework and jam-making, formed the basis of the early work, and were immediate successes. (When Prince Charles visited India, a special order was put in for WIT marmalade).

As time went by and WIT grew, it expanded its activities and developed training for teaching and nursing. In many ways, it was a forerunner, marking out a territory that later non-governmental organizations, like the Annapurna Trust, quarried.

Although it was at the centre of Tyabji's life, the WIT did not limit or define her. She was active on a number of official inquiries, though she resisted the coaxing of her friend Mrs. Gandhi to enter politics. But she did represent India on the UN commission into the status of women, and helped draft its declaration of rights for women. She was also part of a five-strong committee for International Women's Year.

Tyabji continued to write regularly, from her first and highly influential study of Limited Interests In Muhammadan Law (1949) to studies of reform of Islamic law. Religion, however, was not a driving force, even though the anti-Muslim sentiments being aired in the drawing rooms of Bombay after the Gujarat riots depressed her.

Instead, she marked out her own independent route, drawing on the patrician values of integrity and public service that have, in the past, added so much to what has been good in Indian public life. Her zest for life, elegance and forthrightness will be remembered, whether in her ferocity at the bridge table, her intellectual curiosity of her impeccable instinct for the vagaries of the stock market, studied intently every day with her morning cup of tea.