About Us

The Story Behind Of Our ‘SMOKUS’

Genesis:

It was mid-1990, and a few college-going girls with vivacity and social concerns were confronted with the social reality of suppression, marginalization, and pathos of rural gentry. These budding women from various parts of Uttar Dinajpur with an approach to do better for the said rural populace; contact a few more women and the organization came into its existence. Extensive interaction between the volunteers and their own money was the primary resource for the upcoming social organization and their modest planning and its implementation. The organization started to provide various services related to the protection of women’s health and mother-child health care at Rampur under Raiganj Block and Patirajpur and Durlavpur Gram Panchayats under Itahar Block. The effort continued for more than 3 years. By strengthening community people, they have taken part in the different movements with various demands about livelihood and establishing their rights. Thus the organization was formed for the women, focused on their causes and women empowerment as their basic, so in the

Overview:

The Shripur Mahila-O-Khadi Unnayan Samity (SMOKUS) was established as a women’s organization in 1990. Its management body comprises all female members and the program team had a balance of both women and men. SMOKUS got the registration from the Society Registration Act in 1994. Since its inception, its focus has been on women’s empowerment and child protection. In 1994, Mother and Child health program activities started in a few villages, spread across three Gram Panchayats of two blocks in the Uttar Dinajpur district.
Since 2003, the work focus has been on children’s and women’s rights-based. Prevention and protest against women trafficking, child labor, women & child domestic violence, and livelihood activity of women were taken in an organized way in several areas. Thereafter, to strengthen the community-based initiatives, leadership training for the youth, non-formal schools, and distribution of seeds to the farmers, adolescents & women’s health checkups by the operating village clinics were the added activities. The process to strengthen women was due to their representation in the Gram Unnayan Samity, raising their voices, and discussing their issues. SMOKUS believe that women’s empowerment in the decision-making process, fulfillment of their rights, control over resources, prevention & protection against violence and abuse brings dignity and justice in life. Since 2011 SMOKUS focused on Child Rights & Child Participation.