The entire management processes and practices of Vasavya Mahila Mandali are in compliance with the principles of Good Governance.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF VMM -
Dr. Bollineni Keerthi, Change Maker and President, Vasavya Mahila Mandali
Keerthi, 67 (05 October 1955) is born in humanist and freedom fighters’ family and daughter of Sri Chennupati Seshagiri Rao Philanthropist and businessman and Mrs. Chennupati Vidya Former Member of Parliament and Gandhian social worker.Keerthi is born and educated in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India. Dr. Keerthi had her schooling from Vasavya Vidyalaya, College education at Maris Stella college Vijayawada, M.A Social Work and Ph.D. from Andhra University;St Francis Xavier University, Canada and awardedDiploma in Social Development and studied at INSEAD Business School, Paris inExecutive Development Programme in Public Private Partnership. Dr. Keerthi has 46 years of professional experience in social development working with women, children and families through various community driven interventions in the area of gender based violence, health, nutrition, education and livelihoods. She has conducted 12 research studies in the area of women’s safety, protection, maintenance, widowhood, health and nutrition. She has brought three publications Sheroes- stories of women successfulfacing violence in their life, Women and Media and Domestic Violence vision and Realities. She took part in more than 25 national and international conferences and presented papers including Global Health Conference U.S.A; International AIDS conference, National Conference on Safety of women in public spaces, International O.P Jindal Global University and World Society of Victimology at City University of Hong Kong, UN Crime Congress. Keerthi is a guest faculty for Andhra Pradesh Human Resource Development Institute, Andhra Pradesh Police Academy, Andhra University and Acharya NagarjunaUniversity. Dr. Keerthiprovides technical support for AP Police in facilitating sessions and curriculum on gender sensitization. Mahila Mitra social movement #NoSilenceForViolence AP Police and Vasavya Mahila Mandali initiated from January 2017. Mahila Mitra has capacitated about 10000 community women to become change makers and work in their locality and sensitized police to work for women and girls with sensitivity. More than 3000 women, voluntarily working at communities to make Andhra Pradesh safe state for women. Dr. Keerthi is a victim of social norms and taboos of widowhood and faced lot of domestic violence in the second marriage. She challenged to change hence victim turned to survivor and curved as Change Maker and strong women motivating others in distress. She is ‘Amma’, ‘Aunt’and ‘Daughter’ to many and hug her. She is a MODEL to many those who JUST stay back after calamities in life. She said, ‘What Made me look positively and move with courage is WHAT NEXT.’Keerthi’s daughter is living in 894 people seeing through SWETCHA EYES, when her daughter died Keerthi donated her daughter’s eyes and established an eye bank. Dr. Keerthi is on many committees with prestigious institutions on Research promotion Ethics Committees with AIIMS Mangalagiri and Ayyush NRI LEPL Health Care institution. Member on Internal Complaints Committee of Sexual Harassment at workplace: AIIMS, Mangalagiri, AP, AP CID department, Postal department Vijayawada Division, Income Tax Department, AP Audit AP, ESI AP, Vijayawada Government Dental College, Central Institute of Plastic Technology and corporate hospitals, government department for prevention and redressal of sexual harassment at workplace. Dr. Keerthi is awarded and recognized by various organisations and few to mention are: Anjani Mashelkar Inspiration Award-2022, SABERA Entity Award -2022, Best Citizen Award by Vijayawada City Police, August 15, 2017, for the voluntary services rendered for safety and security of women by promoting Mahila Mitra; Genius Book of Records, UK recognized as Change Maker in the area of promoting Mahila Mitra a social initiative with Vijayawada city police for triggering change. 2018; Wonder Book of Records Australia awarded her as Change Maker working for women empowerment2018 and Golden Star World Records Forum, UK awarded 2018 as strong women stood for the cause of upholding women’s rights for dignity and safety. Keerthi not only a role model but a coach, mentor, guidefor young girls and women in crisis. Her life is a motivation for survivors of violence to live with dignity and respect. She walks the talk, practice what she tells.Her life mission isCreating Leaders for Change to build a society with dignity and respect for women in reality.
VIJAYA KANKANALA
Ms.K.Vijaya, Postgraduate in Social Work and Sociology and having 22 years of experience in development sector in implementation of community programmes and Family counselling. Vijaya is Member, Mahila Mitra, a social initiative for Gender Equity and Equality. She is a trainer on counselling for professional and lay counsellors. She facilitates trainings on gender sensitisation for police and NGOs. She was participated as a investigator in ‘Maintenance among Women in Marital Discord’ and ‘Chronic Kidney Disease in A.Konduru Mandal of NTR district’ studies conducted by Vasavya Mahila Mandali. Member: • Vice President, Vasavya Mahila Mandali, Vijayawada • Member, Internal Complaints Committeeof Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Act, South Central Railway, Vijayawada Division from May 2021. • Member, State Level Advisory committee, PCPNDT Act, Government of Andhra Pradesh from February 2021
RASHMI GOPARAJU
Rashmi dedicated her life to the social and educational upliftment of women and children in urban, rural, and tribal communities in the Telugu states. She was brought up in a family committed to social work. She graduated in Biological Sciences from Maris Stella College, Vijayawada and studied at Birmingham University UK on ‘Managing Sustainable Rural Development’. She has experience working in various fields with a social impact on health, nutrition, education, livelihoods, and gender equality. Rashmi is the founder member and Secretary of Vasavya Mahila Mandali (VMM). Dedicated to social justice, she strives to make a positive impact on the world around her. Engaging with community members to identify and address social issues and needs, she advocates policies and programs that promote gender equality and protects the rights of women and children. Her goal is to light up the lives of those in need. She is on the board of many Government Departments and Private Associations like Health, Education, Women Development and child welfare & APTRANSCO etc. Rashmi joined the Inner Wheel Club of Vijayawada in 1978 and has been actively involved in numerous projects for improving infrastructure in Government schools along with extending her services for women and children. She is also serving artisan community through Crafts Council of Andhra Pradesh as a Member developing creativity among school children on arts and crafts. She actively promotes patriotic sentiments and Gandhian ideals among youth and children as Member, Andhra Pradesh Gandhi Smarak Nidhi and Convenor Gandhi 150th birth anniversary celebrations. As a Life Member of the Indian Red Cross Society, Rashmi takes an active role in all activities. She was appreciated with Gold Medal by the Governor of Andhra Pradesh for her services to the Indian Red Cross during the Covid pandemic. In recognition of her commitment to society, Rashmi was awarded the "Margarette Golding Award" in 2022 from International Inner wheel President. Rashmi is well supported by her husband, Dr. G. Samaram, and family in her pursuit of serving humanity. She draws inspiration from the ideals and work of Grandparents: Gora and Saraswati Gora and her parents: Chennupati Seshagirirao and Vidya. Her strength is in serving and helping vulnerable communities continuously.
MADHAVI GANAPATHI
Madhavi Ganapathi is an Executive Member of Vasavya Mahila Mandali. Madhavi Ganapathi is a Change Maker and Development practitioner by profession. Being part of a live campaign in every aspect of Violence against Women and Girls. She studied Master of Business Management in Human Resources Management and Labour Law, Certificate in Counselling, Mental Health, Counselling. More than 23 years’ experience in Social Sector & worked with Dawoodi Bohra Community Empowerment Programs. She is a Gender Specialist Trainer – “Empowering Youth to Combat Gender Based Violence (GBV)”. She facilitated training on Gender Sensitization, Community Coordinated Efforts to reduce crime against women, Cybersecurity. Presently providing voluntary service as Family Counsellor in DISHA Police Station & Women In Need (WIN) Centre, Visakhapatnam, A.P. She is on the board of government and private associations on Internal Complaints Committee for Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace. Involved as defender in Human Rights Council, Visakhapatnam, Stree Sankalp an initiative of JCI, Visakhapatnam. Currently pursuing M.Sc Psychology from AU & LLB from Ambedkar Law College.
SUJATHA BAYANA
Sujatha, Treasurer, Vasavya Mahila Mandali is a Post-Graduate in Commerce from Andhra University. Sujatha is associated with her family business. She is passionately engaged in charity activities through Inner Wheel club of Vijayawada. She is serving artisan community through Andhra Pradesh Crafts Council as Executive Committee Member by providing marketing avenues. At the same time, developing creativity among school children on arts and crafts.
POLISETTI SUBHASHINI
Subhashini Polisetti, BA.LLB, is an Advocate at High court of Andhra Pradesh , Legal counsellor, ICC member of KL University, ICC member of South central Railway Guntur Division . Practicing as an advocate in Civil Court, District Court, High Court with more than 5 years of experience in the field of law, sustainable development and social justice to bring about a positive social impact in the society Provides legal advice to the poor, down trodden and weaker sections of the society conducts legal awareness programs for public and social workers to make them aware of their basic legal rights in order to empower them to fight against injustice and exploitation and also conducts workshops for women on topics such as the Fundamental Rights, Rights of consumer, Right to Information, Domestic violence laws, child marriages, Pocso Act, MTP Act, women property laws, sexual Harrassment at work place, Labour laws etc. Co-ordinates and guides a wide range of activities under taken by the Vasavya Mahila Mandali: Community organization, Women empowerment programs and Awarness programs in schools, colleges, women groups, workplaces on the issues of trafficking, gender sensitization, life skills in various places like KL University, CIPET, Ramachandra Engineering College, APHRDI, MAHILA MITHRA Members and Police department.
Dr. SARASWATHI RAJU IYER
Prof.Saraswati Raju Iyer, Professor & Head, Dept. of Sociology & Social Work, Member, Executive Council, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Director, IQAC, Coordinator, Community Social Responsibility & Coordinator, UGC-SWAYAM, Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. A trained Psychological Counsellor, Gold medalist from Osmania University, Hyderabad. Her educational qualifications include B.S.W., M.S.W., M.A.(Sociology)., N.E.T., S.L.E.T., Ph.D., D.Litt. (U.S.A.) She has visited U.S.A. to present a paper; chaired and presented a paper at Nepal Conference. Visited Netherlands to participate in the inauguration of Global Seafood Watch Advisory Group. She is a NAAC Peer Team Member, Bangalore since 2019. She is a member of various Professional bodies and Committees constituted by Government and Acharya Nagarjuna University. She is a Member of Seafood Watch Social Sustainability Advisory Group (Global Seafood Programme), Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, Monterey, California, United States of America since 05-05-2022. Chaired sessions in 80 Seminars; Presented 125 papers in conferences, Participated in 83 Seminars, Conferences & Workshops, gave 116 sessions in various academic forums, authored 14 books, member of the editorial board of 22 Journals, Developed 18 lessons/lectures for SWAYAM – Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) an initiative under National Mission on Education through Information & Communication Technology (ICT) of Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India and Department of Higher Education by the Consortium for Educational Communication (CEC) in Social Work produced by Educational Multimedia Research Centre (EMRC), Hyderabad. She gave 17 interviews on AIR, 3 interviews in Television channels, produced 25 Ph.D.s & 5 M.Phils. Received 45 National and International Awards. Has 22 years of P.G.Teaching Experience. Conducted 21 Workshops, Seminars and Conferences. Completed 25 research and consultancy projects, monitored and evaluated 10 CAPART funded Projects. Pursuing 2 Research Projects currently, Reached around 10,000 people through community outreach and extension activities of Acharya Nagarjuna University. She is a Visiting Faculty, School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada; Acharya Nagarjuna University College of Architecture, Guntur, National Institute of Design, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh Human Resource Development Institute (APHRDI), Bapatla & Central Tribal University, Vijayanagaram. She is specialized in Social Welfare and Social Development and research interests include Psychological Counselling, Gender issues, HIV/AIDS, Marginalized communities, Child rights and Disability. PROF. SARASWATI RAJU IYER
Dr DEEKSHA PILLARISETTY
Dr. Deeksha is an Executive Member and Medical Director of Vasavya Mahila Mandali. Dr Deeksha, by profession is a Derma Practitioner. She was Former Secretary Andhra Pradesh Dermatologists Association. She was awarded Diploma in Torture Medicine from Indian Medial Association, New Delhi. She is actively involved in giving health education to medical fraternity through Continued Medical Education. She is providing Medical and Health related COVID training to government functionaries through Andhra Pradesh Human Resource Development Institute. She worked extensively at community level with vulnerable population such as People Living with HIV/AIDS, street youth, women and children. As a part of community service she provided treatment for more than 2000 HIV Patients and more than 5000 patients with STIs. Dr Deeksha is a Former Member of Child Welfare Committee, Krishna district and is working for uplifting child rights. She is chairman for Community Dermatology, Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists & Leprologists 2021 and Advisor community dermatology 2022, She was awarded Best Derma Practitioner award for South India by Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists in International conference in Mumbai for the year 2022. She received a national award for her services in Health in communities by Senior World organisation in 2022.
KASISWARAMMA MOTUKURI
KasiswarammaMotukuri is Executive Member, Vasavya Mahila Mandali. She is Post graduate in Sociology and having 30 years of experience in development sector and worked for the uplift of vulnerable women, children and counselled women, girls and Grannies.
VMM BOARD OF ADVISERS -
Dr J V R PRASADA RAO
J V R Prasada Rao is a former Secretary of Ministry of Health in Government of India. He is internationally known for his pathbreaking work in bringing public health to centre stage in India’s health priorities. He played multiple roles as a policy maker, implement or advocate and activist for last two decades. He led the national efforts to control the raging AIDS epidemic in India during the nineties and was successful in halting and reversing the epidemic. He led the regional response as Regional Director of UNAIDS for the Asia Pacific region. Rao played a major advocacy role as the Special Envoy of UN Secretary General on AIDS. He made pioneering efforts to organise and empower communities of key populations and secured their meaningful involvement in AIDS response.
ARCHANA MITTAL
A chemical engineer by qualification, Archana brings in a skill-set of networking and communications. She has been a founder member of many national and international social development initiatives. Her special contributions have been as a founder member of Mission Anganwadi, an Initiative for restructuring and strengthening of Anganwadis (Government Preschools and Nutrition Program) in Goa and Delhi aimed at creating state wide public private partnerships; and as volunteer for the Anganwadi Task Force (for Delhi and Goa government). After having completed her Masters in Development Management, from the SP Jain Institute of Management & Research in Mumbai, she has further added expertise to her existing liaising skills, be it with the government, foundations, corporates and various other stakeholders. Archana is a certified REBT practitioner and is a passionate advocate of rights of women and children.
Dr. GANGAIAH BOLLEMPALLI
Dr Gangaiah Bollempalli, currently Honorary Advisor, Centre for Poverty Studies and Rural Development, Administrative Staff College of India(ASCI), Hyderabad is a professional economist from Indian Economic Service(IES) with over 30 years of experience working in various key Ministries of Government of India including Planning Commission, Agriculture, Rural Development, Urban Development, Small Scale Industries and in the non-government health Sector projects of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Department for International Development (DFID,UK). Dr.Gangaiah worked as Member Secretary, Andhra Pradesh State Planning Board and CEO, Smart Andhra Pradesh Foundation (SAPF).
Meghana Vagwala
Meghana Vagwala is a final year M.D. student at Harvard Medical School, pursuing a career in clinical psychiatry. She has six years of experience working on mental health projects in South Asia and advises closely on VMM’s expansion into community mental health programming. A Marshall Scholar, she holds an M.Sc. in Global Mental Health from Kings’ College London & the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as well as an M.Sc. in Medical Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. Prior to that, she was an Angier B. Duke Scholar at Duke University. She has written and published on topics such as college students’ moral attitudes towards stimulant diversion, sociocultural considerations for defining treatment invasiveness in psychiatry, the ethics of using artificial intelligence in psychotherapy, and trauma-informed care in medical education.
Dr G SAMARAM
Dr G Samaram is a consulting Physician for last 50 years. He brought more than 260 health education books, conducted more than 1000 Health talks and developed a first of its kind Health exhibition as a part of community health education. He was National President of Indian Medical Association in the year 2009-10. He was popular atheist and social activist working on dispelling superstitions and building scientific temper through Dr Samaram Multi Channel Network. He is active on various forums such as Rotary Club of Vijayawada, Indian Red Cross Society and Indian Psychologists Association. .
Dr. NAMITA PARITHOSH KOHOK
Dr. Namita Parithosh Kohok is Ph.d in Educational Administration. She is Founder and Managing Director at Young Minds -Educational Solutions & Consultancy Services at Pune, Maharashtra. She is a Motivator and Cancer to Crown. FIRST Indian Cancer Survivor to win Mrs. Global United 2017 and Mrs. Global United Lifetime Queen at USA 2018, Mrs. India Global United 2017, Mrs. India Photogenic 2015, Mrs. International Worldwide Queen 2015 (Hong Kong). She works as volunteer counsellor for `Cancer Patients.’
CHENNUPATI VAZEER
Chennupati Vazeer is a businessman from automobile sector. He is hailing from the family of social reformers and Gandhians. He is involved in Andhra Pradesh Lorry Owners Association and Krishna District Lorry Owners Motor Spare Parts Society. He is President, Andhra Pradesh weightlifters Association. He was a socially active leader in building a positive change in society for a healthy citizenship and participation of people to bring a socio economic and political changes at village and across all levels. He works closely with youth in mentoring them to be come Nation Builders.
Dr. ANURADHA SEN MOOKERJEE
Dr Anuradha Sen Mookerjee is a socio-cultural anthropologist with a strong interest in public policy. She is Senior Fellow, National Centre for Human Settlements and Environment (NCHSE), Bhopal. She is awarded Ph.D (2019) from The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva, Switzerland. She has worked with UNDP in India and regionally in South Asia on gender equality and human rights and set up the first UN-led Knowledge Management Platform on Gender issues for development practitioners in India, Solution Exchange. She has also worked on Combating Trafficking in women and children in South Asia at the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), South Asia Sub Regional Office. Her research areas include anthropology of the borderlands, migration, gender studies in the critical areas of family, materiality, identity, labour, and the state.
I.MAKING POLICIES & DECISIONS:
VMM from the inception itself works on a delegated work environment. Each and every person in the organization is involved in the process of decision making in a scientifically designed system. Making Policy and Decision in VMM are done through a three tier system.
a. Departments & Projects:
Monthly review meetings are held for each project and department regularly.
b. Executive Committee:
As the VMM as a women headed organisation, the General body consists of 40 active, dynamic and professional women. Among them the body elects the Executive Committee members with 9 women members. Each Executive Member will take the responsibility of implementing various projects as Project Director. The Executive Committee of VMM holds a meeting minimum quarterly one and looks after day to day management. In these meetings, the Committee will make resolutions to take up new projects with the support from the new donors. The Committee also decides to involve the other NGOs/CBOs who are expertise in their fields to implement various projects in Andhra Pradesh.
c) Advisory Body:
The Board of Advisors comprises of technically competent people from diverse backgrounds and expertise. The body is formed for a period of one year and a few independent members with eminence and reputation are nominated each year. Members of this board also meet once in a year. The Board of Advisors advises VMM, taking regular inputs from the Executive Committee.
d) Staff pattern:
VMM employs qualified and efficient accountants and senior staff holding a variety of post-graduate academic and managerial qualifications ranging from social sciences, management, home science, education, para medical and medical sciences. VMM has strong teams to manage community based programmes and research projects.Staff are selected through an interview published either through advertisement in Newspaper / e forums / promotion of the VMM staff on roles for the skilled ones.OUR STAFF
II. CREDIBILITY NORMS:
Vasavya Mahila Mandali encourages its partners to follow Credibility norms for ensuring good governance in the development sector. VMM also follows norms of good governance itself.VMM strive to build capabilities of its grassroots NGO partners towards good governance. The Governance and Credibility System includes a systematic set of norms.
III. PROJECT MANAGEMENT & MONITORING SYSTEM:
The project management and monitoring system in VMM comprises of a systematic and well laid down processes. These are as follow:
IV. SELECTION OF NGO PARTNERS:
Partners are invited selection of partners for required locations under specified programme through advertisement in relevant forum, websites; and also through reference from credible partners as well as perennial. Also, prospective partners keep on submitting proposals directly to the VMM during specific period. The selection of partners is done basing on Desk appraisal, Field Appraisal, their specific field expertise.
V. AUDIT SYSTEM:
Vasavya Mahila Mandali has a two tier audit system to ensure that funds are utilized to the optimum level in an accountable manner.
a) Statutory Audit:
is held by the statutory auditor for finalization of balance sheet and statement of affairs. This is also done to comply with standard statutory norms.
b) External Evaluation/audit:
Basing on the MoU by the donor agency the impact and outcome of various projects of VMM are evaluated by external evaluation agencies/auditors having decades of relevant experience on the subject. Audit reports and activity reports are discussed with the Executive Committee to take suitable and necessary steps if required viz. IT returns, FC3 returns, Renewal of Societies Registration.
VI. POLICIES:
The VMM has adopted various policies for smooth functioning of the organisation, the policies are: Human Resource policy, Finance Policy, Administration Policy, Prevention of sexual harassment policy, Child protection policy, Gender policy, Communication policy, Knowledge Management Policy and volunteer policy.