Nari Kallyan Shangho
Health and welfare for South Asian women
Nari Kallyan Shangho (NKS) developed from humble beginnings as a Bangladeshi women’s group, meeting for a weekly coffee in the Dalry area of Edinburgh in 1987. It is now a prominent and unique Health and Welfare Project for the wider population of South Asian women living in Edinburgh. Nari translates as Women, Kallyan as Welfare and Shangho as Organisation.
The original and continuing aim of the organisation is to alleviate deprivation and isolation experienced by South Asian women through offering services and training that can empower the women and allow them to become active citizens in Scottish society. A further objective is to address socio-economic and health issues leading to improvement in the women’s quality of life. All this has a positive impact on their families, the NKS motto being A happy woman is a happy family.
Since the early days, the group has consistently campaigned and succeeded in obtaining funding from Edinburgh Council, Lothian Health, Save the Children Fund, BBC Children in Need and similar organisations. NKS has developed and continues to develop a wide variety of training, educational and health awareness projects, and to help with integration into Scottish society, projects in Scottish history, culture and art. Members have been involved with the Scottish Diaspora Tapestry making four of the panels .
The original objectives identifying the role of empowerment for women in the South Asian community were inspirational and have led to consistently successful outcomes, as recognised by a number of awards in the field of health promotion and community care. NKS has also established its own Women Empowered awards, acknowledging and celebrating South Asian women’s contributions to Scottish Society.
The organisation is staffed by employees and volunteers but individuals who deserve particular recognition include Bilquis Chowdhury who was the prime instigator in the founding of NKS, becoming its first manager and Naina Minhas who has managed the Project since 1992. The organisation’s website is www.nkshealth.co.uk .
Helen Harris
Sources:
Nari Kallyan Shangho website: www.nkshealth.co.uk and published archives
Scottish Government website: www.scotland.gov.uk
Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator website: www.oscr.org.uk
Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation website: www.elhf.co.uk
Minhas, Naina. Interview 2014
