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>View discussions about this entry Country: India
Organization: All Bengal Women's Union
Sector Focus - Business
Year the initative began (yyyy) - 1932
Project URL: http://www.abwu.org
Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions
What is your signature innovation, your new idea, in one sentence? - All Bengal Women's Union pioneered an all female-run ethnic Bengali restaurant, Suruchi (meaning "good taste") which employs survivors of sex trafficking and other forms of sexual violence.
Describe your innovation. What makes your idea unique and different than others doing work in the field? - All Bengal Women's Union was founded in 1932 and opened Suruchi as a snack/sweet shop in 1948. Suruchi was completely run by the women residents of All Bengal's shelter home, mostly women from Bangladesh who had been trafficked into India for sexual exploitation. Throughout the 50s, 60s and 70s, Suruchi grew to be one of the most popular restaurants in Kolkata, not because of its "charity story" but because of its excellent food and fine service. At a time when female-run businesses was looked down upon, and refugees/prostituted women were highly stigmatized, Suruchi was a trendsetter. It provided a sustainable economic livelihood option much before the “economics of rehabilitation” began to be talked about and NGOs became acceptable. Now Suruchi continues as an autonomous unit within the All Bengal structure, but completely responsible for its own sustenance. In fact, it has proven to be profitable and financially contributes each month to other costs of All Bengal's shelter home. Suruchi is also unique because it provides training and work experience for other shelter residents who are then placed elsewhere for work.
Delivery Model: How do you implement your innovation and apply it to the challenge/problem you are addressing? - Suruchi has been running successfully for 60 years, contributing its profits to the overall expenses of All Bengal. They are able to employ 10 women full-time and train several younger women in food preparation. Most of its operations run smoothly, but not necessarily efficiently. Since the staff is older women, some of whom have been working at Suruchi since its opening, there is a lot of room for modernization. This updating can easily be implemented with the help of an outside professional, as well as some modern equipment (such as electrical appliances, gas cooking devices, etc.)
How do you plan to grow your innovation? - If more capital infusion takes place, and a better defined corporate structure is put in place, Suruchi may allow for a franchisee model being initiated, specializing in ethnic Bengali dishes. This would probably require more external professional help, particularly in advertising, and a change in the current operating model. But expansion would allow for more intake of suitable candidates from All Bengal's shelter and similarly qualified survivors from elsewhere.
Do you have any existing partnerships, and if so, how do you create them? - While Suruchi itself does not currently have any formal partnerships, it used to provide lunch meals to Indian Oil and a local government hospital. Also, Suruchi benefits from the several partners of All Bengal Women's Union. All Bengal has partnered with UNDP, UNIFEM, India's National Law School, and the Eastern India Task Force for research purposes. They have also provided shelter for women and girls on transfer from NGOs like Sanlaap, Apne Aap, SLARTC, STOP, and National Women's Commission. For the handicraft production, All Bengal works with the Government of West Bengal Handloom Emporium and The Emancipation Network in order to sell the products.
Provide one sentence describing your impact/intended impact. - Suruchi has trained and employed dozens of women in the course of 60 years in food preparation, service, and restaurant management and this has allowed these women to move beyond their sexual exploitation and achieve economic self-sufficiency.
How many people have you served or plan to serve? - Suruchi has trained dozens of women in food preparation and service, employs sixteen staff members at the restaurant, and provides food for All Bengal's shelter (which houses roughly 300 women and girls).
Please list any other measures of the impact of your innovation? - This field has not been completed. (83 words or less)
Exactly who are the beneficiaries of your innovation? - The women and girls who work or are trained at Suruchi, as well as their families that benefit from their salaries.
How is your initiative financed (or how do you expect your initiative will be financed)? - Suruchi is completely responsible for its own financial sustainability. All Bengal's assistance is limited to supervising over financial and legal obligations to the state.
If known, provide information on your finances and organization - Annual budget;
Annual revenue generated; Number of staff: Nearly 250,000 INR annually, with a profit of at least 100,000 INR. On the busiest working day of the year, Suruchi profits 35,000 INR. Number of staff is 16. What is the potential demand for your innovation? - The idea of using business for rehabilitation is not new, but separating it completely from a shelter home is innovative. This model can be replicated around the world by similar NGOs or shelters in need of livelihood options for its residents. When the women are financially stable and self-sufficient, they are at much less risk for sexual violence, male domination, and trafficking.
What are the main barriers to financial sustainability? - Suruchi has proved financial sustainability in its 60-year lifetime. But post economic reforms in India, Suruchi needs a good upgrade to remain a viable business and retain the “brand value” it once commanded. This would require capital infusion, external professional help and a more corporate structure. The staff members are getting older and may not understand the wants of the new customer base.
Location issues - Suruchi is attached to All Bengal, and is in an area that used to be very posh and developed. However, now it is not a very safe neighborhood and the restaurant closes at 5pm for the womens' safety. A solid corporate model and good advertising would help Suruchi recapture business territory and gain greater visibility/brand recall among the new young clientele. What is the origin of this innovation? Tell us your story. - Suruchi is the best Bengali restaurant in Kolkata, and most people will tell you this. However, they have no idea that it is related to All Bengal, or run by women survivors of sexual violence. This is a major plus because it proves the customers go for the food and not the charity. But knowing that Suruchi used to be even more popular and well attended by major actors, political leaders, and even the British Princess Anne, it would be wonderful to see the restaurant return to its once famed status. This would allow even more women the opportunity for training and employment, and hopefully full reintegration into mainstream society.
Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers marketing material - I moved to Kolkata after working with The Emancipation Network in the US. While here, I manage the production orders of various NGO partners, and All Bengal is one of the shelters from where TEN purchases handicrafts. I met Suman Saha and Nayani Chakravarti there, who helped draft this submission on behalf of All Bengal. If you ever get a chance to visit All Bengal's home, you must stop in Suruchi for their famous cholar dal!
Contact Information:
Becky Bavinger
Volunteer All Bengal Women's Union (NGO) Discussions about this entry
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Suruchi - Cooking Up Some Justice
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On July 16, 2008, the judges reviewed the entries for the Changemakers “Ending Global Slavery” Competition and would like to pass on the following feedback for your entry. Thank you for applying and for your hard work in the field. We are excited to archive your entry to serve as a leading solution for the worldwide community of innovators who are exposing, confronting and ending modern day slavery. We wish you continued luck with your sustainable, innovative, and socially impactful initiatives.
All the best, The Changemakers Team
“We admire this initiative’s efforts to bring together and employ women who have been victims of sex trafficking and sexual violence. The sustainability of this initiative is commendable—they have been in business for 60 years! We are interested in learning more about their plans to expand visibility and brand recall among the newer clientele.”
- Changemakers “Ending Global Slavery” Judges: United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Trafficking, International Organization for Migration, Design Within Reach, Vital Voices Global Partnership, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Humanity United.
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The Changemakers Team
Ashoka's Changemakers
Hi Becky,
wow, you have an impressive history! I think it´s great how you´ve managed to sustain this project over such a long time and continously tried to reach the next level. Your current problems about reaching new customers and having to learn about advertising and project planning seem common for Social Entrepreneurship initiatives at some point, however, one idea that came to my mind immdiately was to address your customers for help. Since you say that there is a new wave of younger clientele, couldn´t you present the project´s background in your restaurant via posters or so and offer some kind of exchange: knowledge for food? Any of your guests that work in planning, advertising or corporate strategy could train your staff in exchange for free meals. It´s always easier to get people to share their knowledge (which is often also fun) instead of asking for money. What do you think?
Best,
Jasper
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Jasper Nicolaisen
Free University Berlin
University Challenge