IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY AND PERSONAL SAFETY EDUCATION IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. (With A Focus On Children With Disabilities).
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IMPLEMENTING COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY AND PERSONAL SAFETY EDUCATION IN ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. (With A Focus On Children With Disabilities).
Enfold Proactive Health Trust
No 42, 3rd main,
1st cross, Domlur 2nd Stage,
Bengaluru- 560071, India
Vaishali is an Occupational Therapist and qualified Early Interventionist, practicing
in Bangalore, India, for the last 30+ years. Never the one to give up on any opportunity, she has studied a number of different courses in these 30 years, that have helped her increaseher repertoire of treatment options from basic Occupational Therapy to include fields such as Early Intervention in Pediatric Neurology, Myofascial Release techniques, Kinesiotaping, Neuro-Linguistic Programing, Pranic Healing, Biofeedback, and so on. She has used these skills while working with sports persons from various backgrounds/fields, in both the areas of injury prevention, and treatment, and enhancing performance to working with children with developmental disabilities resulting due to brain damage.
In 2009, she founded Tamahar Trust, a not-for-profit entity to provide holistic services for children with special needs and their families at Malleswaram, Bangalore. ‘Tamahar’, (San-skrit), a portmanteau that means, “Remover of Darkness” caters to children with developmental disability and their families. Tamahar Trust is now involved in capacity building and human resource development in this sector along with creating out-reach centres for disadvantaged communities in the state.
Dilip has over 30 years of experience in the software business spanning engineering, management and business development. He has been a Technology and IT Solutions consultant to the European Economic Community, WS Atkins International and the Government of India. Dilip began his career in 1984, as a member of the Technology team at Madras Computer Labs, one of the first offshore software development centers in India. In 1986, he founded Texel Systems, an embedded market solutions provider. Among his achievements at Texel are India’s first Advanced Ledger Posting Machines, first software protection scheme – Laser Protect and various indigenous solutions for the Auto, Oil, Space and Defence, and Textile Industry.
Besides being a hands-on engineer and entrepreneur, Dilip is an avid adventurer and accomplished musician. His travel passions include high- altitude treks, diving holidays, aero and aqua sports. He plays Indian and western percussion for many bands. Astronomy and Golf are his other hobbies. Dilip holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
Vandana completed her BA in Jurisprudence and Masters in Law, and is a trained lawyer. She also worked in immigration and coroporate law, prior to joining Enfold.
Nagendra has done his B.Com from Kuvenpu University, also 2 years work experience as ‘Accounts Assistant’ of Sandesh Kingston, joined Enfold in October 2025 as Assistant Finance to the Accounts & Finance Team.
Sumanth has completed his MBA in Finance with a strong foundation of finance and management. He always maintain a positive attitude at work. He passionate about sports, games and maintaining physical fitness. Outside of work, he loves trekking, travelling, drawing, painting.
Hi I’m Shlesha. I studied English from Delhi University and was awarded the UGC JRF (University Grants Commission – Junior Research Fellowship). Professionally, I’ve worked in social media content for the Indian Culture Portal, a project under the Ministry of Culture, dedicated to digitally promoting the art and culture of India. I really enjoy the creative side of things: researching, writing, designing and making content that feels meaningful and personal. I’m passionate about the environment and about making the world a kinder place. When I’m not about – or on – social media, you can find me reading, running, meditating, gardening, café-hopping and exploring new places with friends. Occasionally, I’m also a poet and a painter.
Rumjhum is a communication designer committed to ecological and social change. Her creative process begins with shaping thoughtful, impact-driven concepts, and unfolds through a diverse range of mediums— from visual design to informative storytelling. She graduated from Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology in 2024. You can find her in midst of countless crochet projects, gardening and combing her cat after work! She is easily identified by quirky jewelry and her love for green.
Anne has a background in research, law, and programmatic planning. She is a Political Science graduate from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, Law graduate from Government Law College, Mumbai and has an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from NMIMS Mumbai.
She has experience in facilitating refugee resettlement, research on preventing gender-based violence, litigation and rehabilitation for children in conflict with the law, medical rehabilitation requests for acid attack survivors, and other human rights issues.
She has a keen interest in reading, music and the environment.
Ramya has done her MBA in Finance with a strong passion for continuous learning and professional growth. She always eager to contribute meaningfully. She’s also a Pet lover. Outside of work, she loves trekking, travelling, drawing, painting and also embroidery designing. She also cherish spending quality time with her family.
Laavni is a graphic content creator with a keen interest in design and social media. She is passionate about social work, specially in the areas of women empowerment, child protection, anti-trafficking and animal welfare. She has been working with Enfold since 2023. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her pets, listening to music, watching indie films and going to music gigs and art exhibitions.
Lishya is a passionate educator with over 15 years of experience in teaching and school management. She holds a Masters’ degree in Microbiology and a Bachelors’ degree in Education. She has dealt with the SSLC, CBSE, ICSE and IGCSE syllabi. Having worked in both regular and alternate school environments, she is acquainted with Montessori and Waldorf methodologies. Interest in child development and safety led her to be associated with Enfold as a facilitator for CSE and PSE since 2013.
Sheryl John completed her Bachelor of Design from the National Institute of Design. After a few years in the corporate world, she realized she wanted to design with purpose and transitioned into the social impact space. In recent years, her work has focused on making healthcare information engaging and accessible to diverse audiences. She is particularly interested in how storytelling across different mediums can connect people in meaningful ways. Outside of work, she enjoys music, movies, video games, and baking (especially sweets), and has a soft spot for plants and animals.
Liya has completed her Masters in Social work, and holds a degree in Psychology. She is passionate about working towards community development, child rights and women empowerment.She started her career working with students as school counselor. Apart from work , reading, movies and travelling keeps her going.
Ume holds Master’s in Social Work and had over two years of experience at NIMHANS as a Project Officer on a school-based programme that promoted gender, sexuality, and personal safety. She reached over 25,000 students, conducted 313 sessions for students aged 11–15, and trained teachers across Bengaluru. Her work combined field practice and research, developed resources, supported children’s disclosures of abuse, and contributed to publications on adolescent mental health and sexuality education.
Ridhi is a social worker with clinical experience, and a recent graduate from Columbia University’s School of Social Work in New York. She graduated with a Master of Science in Social Work along with a specialization in Advanced Clinical Practice. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Ashoka University. During the first year of her degree in New York, she provided emotional and economic empowerment counseling to adult clients (ages 21-60) who are survivors of domestic violence. During her second-year of the degree, she provided socio-emotional individual and group counseling services to elementary students (ages 5-10) as a counselor/social work intern at a public school. Over the past 8+ years, she has pursued opportunities and courses in the fields of social work and psychology/mental health for populations including vulnerable children and young adults. Born and brought up in Bangalore, she has been working towards building her career in the social sector since the age of 16. When she is not working, she enjoys staying active by playing football, badminton, and other sports and activities. She is a foodie, and a trained singer and dancer. Listening to music is her go-to therapy!
Shikha has done her graduation in English Literature and MBA in HR. She has worked in varied areas of HR in Fortune 100 companies. She loves reading fiction and dreams of having a room filled only with books one day.
Anala H. Reddy holds a Master of Commerce in Finance from Bangalore University and a Master of Arts in Development from Azim Premji University. Before joining Enfold, she gained three years of experience as a Project Manager and Project Coordinator, working on initiatives focused on special-needs children, trafficked women, and child marriage. She has a keen interest in designing Montessori activities for children and enjoys engaging in arts and crafts, where she demonstrates strong creativity and skill.
Rohan is a concept art luminary who enjoys being inspired by various artists in the visual entertainment industry, and has been using it to bring benefit to those with intellectual disability via illustrious storybooks and digital visual communication. He has pursued his Bachelor’s as well as Master’s degree in communication design from PES university and Avantika University respectively, and while pursuing academics, has interned at various creative design agencies and digital marketing companies. Rohan works for money, designs for love, and games as means of rest.
Since 1990, Vijaya has been a special educator with the intention of empowering children who find it challenging to be heard. Working with differently-abled individuals has provided a glimpse into the diversity of human experiences. It is only kindness, empathy, and respect for each other that bind people together. As a teacher and later an administrator, she found it particularly challenging to address sexual safety. Teaching students with limited communication skills added an even more complex layer to this challenge. Providing a platform that equips educators to address sexual safety using universal terminology—one that can be understood by all without shame or guilt—is an absolute necessity. Being part of an organization that aligns with these values is a source of great fulfillment for Vijaya.
Rohan is a concept art luminary who enjoys being inspired by various artists in the visual entertainment industry, and has been using it to bring benefit to those with intellectual disability via illustrious storybooks and digital visual communication. He has pursued his Bachelor’s as well as Master’s degree in communication design from PES university and Avantika University respectively, and while pursuing academics, has interned at various creative design agencies and digital marketing companies. Rohan works for money, designs for love, and games as means of rest.
Adhavi worked at Maarga, from a young of 18 which was found by her father. She has worked for 7 year along with the marginalised communities in koramangala slum areas with grassroot level of experiences. She worked as the Project Coordinator for the AGEP Programme (Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme) for 3 years. She has coordinated various programmes in the communities with Women and Chidren such as facilitation of Adolescent Mental Health Sessions, Mother’s forum Meeting, Lake Walks, Art and Craft workshops to address trauma, Grieviences meetings, Street Corner Activities to Homemaker Women and also attended various Sessions and trainning on Mental Health Management. She wants to build a unique and enthuastic community of children and Adolescents from different parts of the society with Rights based Leadership.
Sanjana is a social development professional with a passion and purpose to bring gender equity and child protection to the forefront. She has been working in the social sector on gender and inclusivity and child protection for more than six years. She worked on the gender dynamics in rural indigenous communities and built a holistic gender and child protection program for school children, educators, and adults which was implemented across 14 states in India. The work was recognized by the UN and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
She has a major in English Literature from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University, and another master’s in Gender Studies from Central European University, Vienna. Also, an enthusiast of yoga, dance, and doing nothing.
Khushi Kansal is an ardent Mental Health and Social Change advocate with a formal educational background in History and English Literature from Miranda House, Delhi University, PG Dipl. Counselling Psychology and MSc. Educational Psychology from Christ University. Her research interests include gaming addiction, suicide prevention and supported education for marginalized identities. She has two years of experience working as a counsellor, instructional designer, filmmaker and socio-emotional learning specialist. Khushi is trauma-informed, queer-affirmative and disability-informed in her practice. Her hobbies and interests include film photography, art galleries, crystals and rock music.
Dr Sangeeta Saksena is a gynaecologist, author, counsellor and activist. Along with Dr Saldanha, she cofounded Enfold Proactive Health Trust in 2001 to promote gender equity, sexuality and personal safety education with the aim of creating safer spaces and preventing sexual and gender based violence against children and adults. In 2016 she initiated the Suvidha Project to explore the topic with children and adults with disabilities. Dr Saksena has co – authored “On Track” series for school students, and other books on Life Skill and Personal Safety. She initiated and established PG Diploma and Certificate programs in the B Ed course at Christ University. Since 2020 she has lead a project aimed at building the capacity of teachers graduate and post graduate courses, medical and teaching personnel in gender, sexuality and personal safety education. Dr Saksena has advocated for and participated in developing policies with regards to the safety of women and children like the Karnataka State Child Protection Policy, besides working with the Govt. of Karnataka, Delhi and Telangana on these issues. Having acquired training in Restorative Justice based approaches in the US and in India, she offers training in keeping Restorative Circles.
Amrutha has over 15 years of experience in the Sales and service sector, fitness equipment sales and managing administration. She has completed her B.com from Bangalore City University. Managing administration and part of HR operations since August 2023 at Enfold.
Lakshmi has done B.Com from Bangalore University with specialisation in accounts. She has overall 10 years of working experience in accounts, administration and HR.
Anindita is a legal researcher with a B.A. LLB degree from National Law University of India University, Bangalore. She was a corporate lawyer before working on studies in human rights and access to justice. She is an editor and contributor of the book ‘Constitutional Ideals: Development and Realisation through Court-led Justice’. She is a proponent of feminist legal theory and a contributor to the Indian Feminist Judgement Project. She enjoys legal analysis and has a keen interest in gender and the law, constitutional law, legal philosophy and ethics.
Likith has completed his Masters in Social Work and has been working with Enfold since May 2023. He is a mechanical engineer in UG and enjoys working with various community stakeholders on awareness creation.
Gururaj earned his Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from SDM College, Ujire (2015-2017), establishing a strong foundation in mental health and social services. In 2018, he began his career at SVYM Bengaluru as a Life Skill Facilitator and Counselor, conducting sessions in 54 government high schools and counseling over 200 students.
He later transitioned to Project Coordinator, where he managed initiatives to improve mental health and community health programs. At NIMHANS, Gururaj contributed to dementia research as a Research Assistant, conducting neuropsychological assessments on over 60 elderly individuals. He then served as a Palliative Care Counselor and Coordinator, providing end-of-life care, bereavement support, and managing related programs.
Kavitha worked as a teacher for more than 5 years and loves working with children and adolescents. She also worked as a medical transcriptionist for more than 15 years. She is pursuing her Master in Psychology from IGNOU. She has done her Demystifying Sexuality course in 2021 and has recently done her facilitator training program in 2023.
Hi
Karuna Bishnoi – has over four decades of work experience in social development, advocacy, programme planning and management with a specific focus on child rights since 2000.
Since her retirement from UNICEF after a term of over 27 years, she has continued to work on policy analysis and programme reviews to contribute to organizational learning and guide strategic planning and advocacy, undertake research and analytic documentation for knowledge development.
Vibha Angre, born and raised in Bangalore, found herself drawn to Human Rights and the legal sector after her active participation in the Model United Nations. She decided to enhance this interest by graduating from University Law College with a B.A LLB in 2019.Pursuant to this, she joined Cardiff University, UK to pursue her long-standing dream of a Master’s in Law in Human Rights. It was during the successful completion of her LLM that she found her passion for research and Child Rights and even submitted her final on child autonomy in the medical and legal sector. After working in the UK in Immigration Law, Vibha decided to start her journey in child rights at Enfold in the year 2022. Vibha’s past employments in the capacity of a lawyer make her hopeful of using this skill set to continue work in Legal Research and eventually pursue a Ph.D. in Law focusing on Child Rights and child autonomy. Vibha has also been a professional dancer for the past 8 years, a part of her life that she enjoys even today on the weekends. She is a workout fanatic and loves kickboxing, she is sometimes found cozied in a nook either painting or
embroidering numerous pieces of cloth.
Shivangi has completed her M.A. in Social Work specialising in Criminology and Justice from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She is a researcher and social worker whose work focuses on child protection, restorative practices, and juvenile justice. As part of Enfold’s Research Team, she has contributed and co authored studies which study the implementation on child-related laws. She has also contributed to capacity-building and system strengthening initiatives for the child protection workforce across multiple states through training programs and curriculum building. While she’s not working she likes to paint walls, read, listen to podcasts, swim, play badminton, meet new people and lately has discovered a newfound love for cats.
Ranu is a law graduate from Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur. Her areas of interest include Criminal Laws, Children’s Rights, International Human Rights Law and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). She is passionate about legal research and has previously interned in organizations like Enfold, Project 39A, National Law University, Delhi, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, Migration and Asylum Project, Centre for Justice, Law and Society at Jindal Global Law School etc. She joined Enfold in June, 2021 as a Legal Researcher in the Research Team.
Sreedevi is a law graduate who is interested in the areas of human rights and social justice.
Gopika has a degree in law and development studies. She is interested in making the legal system more accessible to everyone. She worked for several years in the field of labour law, and is currently involved in research on laws concerning child protection and juvenile justice.
Shruthi Ramakrishnan has been working since 2014 as legal consultant in Bangalore primarily in the area of child rights. She completed her BA.LLB. from Christ College of Law, Bangalore in 2011 and her LL.M. from Columbia University, New York in 2014 where she majored in Comparative Constitutional Law and International Human Rights.She subsequently worked as Research Consultant at the Centre for Child and the Law (CCL), National Law School of India University, Bangalore until 2015, where she worked extensively on juvenile justice laws and the law related to child sexual abuse in India. During the course of her work with CCL, she co-authored two books: Frequently Asked Questions on the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and Rules, 2012 And the criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, [2 nd ed., Centre for Child and the Law, National Law School of India University, 2015], and Law on Child Sexual Abuse in India – Ready Reckoner for Police, Medical Personnel, Magistrates, Judges and Child Welfare Committees, [Centre for Child and the Law, National Law School of India University, 2015]. Shruthi has published several articles and has been associated with emperical studies on the implememntation of child sexual abuse laws.
Pavithra is a trained social worker, has 4 years of experience in child and adolescent Counselling, since her Master’s in Social Work from the Bangalore University (2017). She initially worked as a review team member in child right trust. Part of the project she visited 47 CCI’s in Bengaluru and interacted with the children regarding facilities provided in CCI’s and identified the needs as well as the gaps. Detailed report on this inspection visit was submitted to the supreme court of india.She worked in UNICEF projects as a relationship manager based on neonatal babies health and awareness campaigns. She worked as a counsellor in government run and NGO run CCI’s for the period of 4 years. She joined Enfold in 2020 and working as a Restorative Practice Facilitator.
Swagata has been working since 2005 as a legal researcher. She has worked with leading human rights organisations in India and taught courses at the National Law School of India University, Bangalore (NLSIU) and School of Law, Christ University. She has led research studies on the working of Special Courts under the POCSO Act, authored several articles, studies, and books on juvenile justice, laws on child sexual abuse, and human rights institutions. She has contributed towards the drafting of Juvenile Justice Rules in Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. While working with the Centre for Child and the Law at NLSIU, Swagata was part of a team that provided technical support to the Supreme Court Committee on Juvenile Justice from 2014-2018. Swagata is a resource person for capacity building programs for judges, prosecutors, police, and functionaries within the child protection system. She has received training on facilitation of Restorative Circles and Harm Circles from several experts in USA. She earned Mst in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University and B.A.LLB (Hons) from W.B.National University of Juridical Sciences. She was the recipient of the Morris Prize for the highest overall score in her class at Oxford University.
Arlene is a trained social worker, specializing in child protection and juvenile justice, with over three decades of experience since her Master’s in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, (1990), with specialization in Family and Child Welfare. She initially worked with children in street situations while at civil society organizations in Mumbai and Bangalore for 9 years. She then worked at the Centre for Child and the Law, (CCL)-a research centre of the National Law School of India University (NLSIU) for 19 years, where she served as a Research Fellow, heading the Juvenile Justice Program, leading a multi-disciplinary team and also led the centre itself for 2 years. At CCL-NLSIU she engaged in action-research, working within government run child care institutions while also undertaking research, training, teaching, writing and advocacy to inform the formulation and reform of policy and laws relating to children as well as their effective implementation, at state and national level. She was appointed to numerous statutory and other committees by the State and Central Government on matters concerning child rights and is a national level trainer on child protection. She works as an independent child protection specialist, consulting part-time with Enfold as the Head of the Restorative Practices team.
Kushi has been working with Enfold Proactive Health Trust, Bangalore since 2010. Her work largely involves supporting children who have faced sexual violence, their families and the involved stakeholders like police, medical officers, Child Welfare Committees, etc. She and others at Enfold’s Support and Rehab team assist children through the medical and criminal-justice processes and provide assistance until the child has moved on and the trial is complete. Kushi also provides training to stakeholders involved in the implementation of POCSO Act. The learning from their experiences on the ground have led her to be invited to provide inputs to the government on policy and advocacy matters.
Subhashini is a sexuality educator and a trainer. She holds a Master Degree in Zoology and holds an M.phil., in Biotechnology. She began her career as a lecturer at Mount Carmel College, nurturing and guiding young adults for over 10 years. As a passionate facilitator in the field of sexuality and life skills has been associated with Enfold Proactive Health Trust for over 10years. She has an extensive experience with training teachers (trained over 1000 teachers) in life skills, sexuality and child/adolescence psychology thereby enhancing their professional awareness and growth. She has conducted sessions on gender sensitisation/empowerment, assertiveness, child welfare and personal safety, Demystifying sexuality, child sexual abuse awareness and prevention. Also, as a practicing Integrative therapist, works to support the autonomy of the individuals, enabling balance, coherence and wellness in a relationship based on safety, trust, respect, curiosity, openness, love, compassion and acceptance.
Dr. Vinalini Mathrani has been associated with Enfold Proactive Health Trust in the capacity of a trainer/teacher on Research Methods and as Research Consultant for the Ford Foundation Project on Gender, Comprehensive Sexuality and Personal Safety Education. She has 35 years of experience in Research, Training and Social Work. Her focus areas are gender, education, and health. She started her career as a rural social worker and then went on to be a Lecturer in the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Since 1995 she has been working a freelance capacity as a Research Consultant. She completed her PhD. in Social Work from TISS, Bombay in 2011. She has been associated with the following organisations as a researcher, trainer, lecturer, peer reviewer and board member: UNICEF; Directorate of State Education Research and Training, Government of Karnataka; Sutradhar (An educational resource centre); Belaku Trust (A women’s health research organisation); Community Health Cell; Karunashraya (A hospice for terminally ill cancer patients); Mahila Samakhya – Karnataka (MSK is a grassroots women’s empowerment programme); Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore; Tata Institute of Social Sciences (Bombay); Christ College (Bangalore); Azim Premji Foundation; Ramalingaswami Centre on Equity and the Social Determinants of Health (under the aegis of Public Health Foundation of India); Headstreams (an educational NGO); British Journal of Social Work; Development Solutions (Research and Evaluation Studies Organisation), Enfold Proactive Health Trust (NGO working on Gender, Sexuality and Personal Safety Education) and We World (Funding Organisation – Italy).
Kavya has done her Post-Graduation in Master of Commerce and also has 3 years of working experience in the accounting field as an Accountant. She joined Enfold in October 2023 as Assistant Finance to the Accounts & Finance Team.
Pushpa has been in the development sector for more than 2 decades. She primarily engages with underprivileged children, youth, women, and families by empowering them to bring social change, particularly in the areas like child rights, gender equity, sexuality, and personal safety education for all. She worked with school heads, cluster level, and block level resource persons of the Education Department in Mysore District to build their capacities on leadership and resource mobilization skills that contribute to improving the quality of education in public schools. She developed a facilitator manual ‘Samujwala’ to build capabilities of School Development and Monitoring Committees in collaboration with GRAAM (Grass Root Research And Advocacy Movement), Mysore. She has done her Master’s in Sociology, this has nurtured her conviction that education and awareness can bring social change in both individuals and communities at large.
Juhi started her journey with Enfold as an intern with the Prevention Team at Enfold. Having a bachelor’s degree in psychology, her interests lie in the fields of developmental psychology, social psychology and interpersonal relationships. In her free time, she likes to try new recipes, paint, crochet and play badminton.
Renu is a Special Educator with specialization in Autism, mainstream science and Biology educator, Gender equity and Personal safety educator and trainer in Personal Safety and sexuality education for children with disabilities. She is currently working as Project Director, and subject expert, Personal safety and Sexuality educator, trainer and facilitator for project SUVIDHA. which aims at Empowering caregivers, educators, trainers and other professionals working with children with Intellectual disabilities, Autism spectrum disorder and auditory and visual impairments, to provide life skills, personal safety and sexuality education to children and adolescents in their care . She has lead the Suvidha team since 2017 and helped Enfold in conceptualizing and developing the Suvidha Suraksha kit which includes hands on visual teaching learning aids and the Suvidha Sparsh kit with books in braille, audio files and sign language videos. Renu has co authored the Suvidha Manual for facilitators and 37 social scripts books for children with disabilities. She has also co authored and presented research papers at national and international conferences and published articles in journals, Autism magazine and online sites on personal safety and sexuality for children withdisabilities. Renu is an owner & creative director of a small enterprise “Wings ….to learn”, which specializes in handcrafted, customised & individualized Teaching- Learning aids for children with Autism and other related disabilities ( since 2013). As an educator and a parent of an adolescent daughter with Autism, Renu is passionate about working with children with neurodiverse abilities and their families and aims to empower children with knowledge and life skills, provide them access to equal opportunities, and support them to be able to grow as independent, productive and respected individuals in an empathetic and inclusive society.
Antara is an intersectional feminist working towards creating safe spaces for women and adolescent girls from marginalized communities. She has over six years of experience in program implementation, community engagement and partnership building. She has led research and advocacy projects on women and children in internally displaced areas in India, and deterrence of sexual harassment in public spaces and workspaces. She has enabled safe spaces for adolescent girls in the tea estates of Assam while mentoring and idenitfying peer leaders in the same. She believes that collective social action can create a larger social change.
Antara is an intersectional feminist working towards creating safe spaces for women and adolescent girls from marginalized communities. She has over six years of experience in program implementation, community engagement and partnership building. She has led research and advocacy projects on women and children in internally displaced areas in India, and deterrence of sexual harassment in public spaces and workspaces. She has enabled safe spaces for adolescent girls in the tea estates of Assam while mentoring and idenitfying peer leaders in the same. She believes that collective social action can create a larger social change.
Dezly has over 5 years of experience in the development sector. He has completed his MSW from Mangalore University and has previously supported the Restorative Practices team at Enfold in the capacity of ‘Consultant -Restorative Practices- having conducted the circle process with children in conflict with law at the Madivala Observation Home for boys in Bangalore. His prior experience includes working with ECHO- Center for Juvenile Justice as a programme coordinator and was primarily responsible for implementing programmes for the rehabilitation of children in conflict with law. Having done his undergraduate studies in hotel management he has also worked in the capacity of a hospitality/ vocational trainer teaching subjects like food production and hospitality law under ECHO’s rehabilitation programme affiliated to TISS School of Vocational Education. Apart from his social engagement and responsibilities, Dezly enjoys cooking and travelling but mostly enjoys spending time with his 5 year old daughter Delina.
Bharath has done his B.com graduation from Bangalore University. Worked closely to 3+ years in corporate sector. Joined Enfold in June 2019 as Accounts – Assistant to manage Accounts & Finance team. He enjoys to spend his time with his family and he loves traveling and listening to music.
Bhavana has done her Post Graduation in Master of Business Administration Finance. Has 4 years of experiance in accounts as Junior account executive and later Joined Enfold in the year 2014 as Executive-Finance. Her forcus is on Finance and accounting. She loves working with childeren and she is happy that she is part of Enfold team. When not at work she enjoys cooking visiting, hill stations and spending time with family.
Geetha is an experienced Consultant with 26 years in building and leading teams in the areas of Global Mobility, Expatriate Management, Travel & Immigration, Vendor Management , Operations and HR. She has worked with various corporates for 21 + years in operational roles for large, multinational retailers. Joined Enfold as Consultant in 2015 to manage the Finance , operations and CSR team. oversees Budget and financial planning, systems and services for the Finance team. Geetha holds a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Bangalore University and Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management from ICFAI, Tripura.
The team ensures compliance and efficient functioning of all teams being the backbone of the organization.
Enfold is guided in its activities by a Board of Trustees.
The team works on issues of child protection to advance children’s rights and implementation of laws. We engage with evidence generation, policy engagement, system strengthening, and academic activities. The team also addresses legal queries and requests for research assistance, and contributes towards the development of guidelines, SOPs, and handbooks related to child protection.
The team has been using Restorative Practices to build and strengthen community, impart social and emotional learning, address misbehaviour or harm, and repair relationships within the Juvenile Justice System and in schools. The team facilitates Circles and trains Child Care Institution staff, school teachers, counselors, and social workers in building a restorative culture and addressing conflict through Restorative Practices.
The team provides support services to children and families who report sexual abuse, from the time of reporting of the abuse, through the various procedures in the criminal justice system The team focusses on enabling child survivors of sexual abuse to access justice, other available support systems and in healing. Having gained extensive ground experince, the team conducts training on the POCSO Act and procedures for stakeholders like the police, medical and judicial personnel, social workers, counselors and NGOs, besides working collaboratively with the Government on these issues, advocacy and policy making with support from UNICEF. The team also does trainings onPOSH Act (workplace sexual harassment and redressal mechanisms) for stakeholders , corporates and educational institutions.
The team pioneered sexuality and personal safety education for children and adolescents with disabilities in India. We created the Suvidha Suraksha kit – one of its kind, an interactive, easy-to-use visual teaching-learning tool for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities and Autism, and a Suvidha Sparsh kit for those with visual or auditory impairments. We have reached over 3000 parents, teachers, and trainers in over 50 schools and organizations across India through direct training, workshops, and online sessions. The adults have been empowered to support children with disabilities in learning the basics of sexuality, reproductive health, and personal safety as part of their life skills education.
The team addresses shame and silence around sexuality and sexuality education and builds the capacity of adults and children in recognizing and responding to sexual violence, especially child sexual abuse, in an empowering manner. Our trained facilitators conduct Gender Equity, Sexuality & Personal Safety education for children, children with disabilities, college students and adult stakeholders with the aim of creating safer spaces and preventing sexual and gender-based violence against children and adults.
Ms Meena Sivaraman, equipped with an M.Sc in Child Development from MS University, Baroda, has worked in the area of primary education for underprivileged children, and is on the expert panel of Parent Edge, a parenting magazine. She now runs several day care centers in Bangalore for companies like Infosys, Ness Technologies, HCL and Mind Tree.
Dr S T Ramesh is a retired Director General & Inspector General of Police, Karnataka state. In his time in office, he spearheaded the modernization program including computerization and software development for all of Karnataka police, as well as the introduction of several e- governance initiatives. He emphasized the importance of updating police training to incorporate Gender Sensitization & development of ‘Work place policy for HIV.’ He also presented several reforms to humanize prisons, which won high acclaim from the Supreme Court & Karnataka High Court, Government and NGOs.
After getting his Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Dilip began his career in 1984, as a member of the Technology team at Madras Computer Labs, and since then has gained over 30 years of experience in the software business spanning engineering, management and business development. Along with being a hands on engineer and entrepreneur, Dilip helps Enfold raise much needed funds.
Dr. C.K. Mathews is a retired IAS officer of the 1977 batch with over four decades of experience in governance, public policy, and administration. He served as Chief Secretary to the Government of Rajasthan (2012–2013) and held key roles including Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and Additional Chief Secretary, Finance. Post-retirement, he contributed to policy research, human rights, and education—as Special Rapporteur with the NHRC and Senior Fellow at the Public Affairs Centre, where he authored the Public Affairs Index (2016–2018). He also edited In the Rear View Mirror, a collection of essays by former Chief Secretaries.
Serina D’Souza is a graduate of MSW. She has interests in working with women and children. With over 6 years of experience in the social and psychiatric sector she enjoys growing and training. She has extensive work experience in the fields of anti-human trafficking and rehabilitation including rescues, follow up, reintegration, and repatriation of the trafficked survivors. Additionally she has worked in a psychotherapy sector, which involved in nursing care responsibilities, therapeutic counseling, facilitating and training sessions which focus on the rehabilitation process, ultimately ensuring a safe and warm environment for the vulnerable. Meanwhile she has Worked as an outreach coordinator where she supervised students in social activities such as plantation, traffic rule following rural exposure and visits to different shelter homes for the aged and children. Serina currently works as a project coordinator for Enfold with the Rehabilitation Team, handling the UNICEF Project on Trainings for Supporting individuals across India. Through Enfold she is also involved in assisting and facilitating child survivors of sexual abuse with the legal and restorative facilities.
Dee (they/she) is a queer, anti-violence organiser and researcher with a Master’s degree in Gender Studies from Ambedkar University Delhi and a Bachelor’s degree in English (Hons) from University of Delhi. She has been associated with Enfold since August 2020, first joining as an intern and currently working as a Junior Researcher. Dee also works towards building community-based and anti-carceral strategies to address violence independently of the criminal legal system and other punitive structures in India. Her work is rooted in an abolitionist praxis and focused on building meaningful and accountable relationships within her community.
Vasu aka Vasumathi has done her MA in economic and Journalism. Diploma in counseling skills, child and student counseling, Certificate course in Life skills and special educator.
Later followed her passion to work with the sexually abused children. Joined as a coordinator, Rehabilitation and Reintegration team since the year 2018. Painting, writing in Kannada is her hobby. Love to live in present. *Live and let live* is her motto and *This too shall pass* is her signature line.
Babu K.V. completed his MSW in 2016 and began his career at Enfold, where he had interned during his studies. Currently, he serves as the Senior Coordinator for Rehabilitation and Reintegration. Babu is passionate about supporting children emotionally. His hobbies include playing cricket, reading books, and spending time with children. His motto is, “The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something.”
Suja has been with Enfold, since 2013, in various roles. She was a support persons and also engaged in advocacy, liaisoning & fund raising for the organization. Suja imparts trainings for POSH, POCSO Act & Life skills. She is a counsellor in addition to being a POSH IC external member for several organizations. Prior to this, she had worked as a CASA volunteer for juvenile delinquents, in a non-profit called Voices for Children, in San Diego, California. Suja holds Post Graduate degrees in Molecular Biology from University of South Carolina and Bangalore University. She was a Junior Research fellow in IISc, Bangalore and as a Research Scientist in a Pharma company, USA. She has worn other hats as a journalist, a writer and is a hobby photographer as well.
Varshini(She/her/they) is a graduate in English (Research) with a Minor in History. Learning more about intersectionality is her passion. She also writes poetry, explores places and tries to learn new things in her free time. She hopes to continue making the world a better place.
Eldrida Rita Lewis is an independent psychologist, researcher and content editor. She has Master’s Degrees in Clinical Psychology from Montfort College, Bangalore, Investigative Forensic Psychology from Bournemouth University, United Kingdom, and a Post-graduate diploma in Criminal Justice from IGNOU. With a passion for both Psychology and Law, she has volunteered and worked with various institutions and NGOs for over 8 years, primarily in the space of child rights and children in conflict with the law. She has been affiliated with Enfold since 2019. By using the skills that she has accumulated over the span of her professional life, she wishes to continue and puruse a lifelong career in Humanitarian work.
Sakshi Aggarwal is a graduate in Psychology and a post graduate is Public Health. She is passionate about issues pertaining to women’s health and enjoys having discussions on gender issues. She joined Enfold in January 2021 as part of the Suvidha Project.
Bilquis has been with Enfold since 2013, bringing her experience of 20+ years in business development to the role. She primarily focuses on creating strategic partnerships, with an emphasis on working with schools. By combining hands-on experience with strategic insight, she achieves measurable outcomes and builds credibility with key collaborators. Alongside the prevention team, she is committed to fostering safe spaces for children and leads initiatives that contribute to meaningful change in the communities Enfold serves, particularly through Gender Equity, Sexuality, and Personal Safety education.