In the month of May, we conducted the concluding Peer Learning Workshop for partners of the Hummingbird Raise programme. Co-developing modules for action; sustaining impact; understanding the story that our data tell us; breaking our own gender stereotypes; and how to communicate effectively about our work were the key topics at this workshop.

The Hummingbird Raise programme started with the objective of training organisations in the approach of engaging boys to assist their current and future work on the issue of prevention of trafficking. Early this year, we started the process of co-designing the modules on Prevention of Trafficking, Prevention of Child Marriage and Demystifying masculinity with our partners. These modules have been designed in a way to equip boy and girls to take concrete actions, engage local community members and hold the authorities accountable. This curriculum will be made open source in Bengali and English by end of August.

Our partners familiarize themselves with the curriculum structure and content

Programme Manager Foram Mehta facilitated a session on ‘What does our data say?’ This brainstorming session was aimed at understanding the trends, stories, patterns and discrepancies that monitoring and evaluation data has the potential to reveal. The exercise conveyed how we can collectively make the quality of data collection and analysis better. Most importantly it initiated a dialogue on how data can be used for informed decision making by all members of a team.

With an aim to build partner’s fundraising capacities, ECF’s Development Manager Swarnima Tamang shared tips on writing effective fundraising proposals. ‘Gallery Walk: communicating your achievements and learnings’ was a session to build partner’s capacities to communicate about their programme to external stakeholders better. A hands-on session, we saw partners designing powerful posters, leaflets, brochures and social media material to communicate their programme’s achievements.

How do we communicate our achievements?

Ashoka Fellow Paramita Banerjee facilitated a session titled ‘The Change in Me’. She discussed how facilitators need to confront their own inhibitions about sexuality, religious prejudices, body image and patriarchal beliefs before they address queries that come from our participants.

Facilitating a mock session on sex and sexuality

The workshop concluded on a note where we collectively planned our next big step: The State level consultation in September, 2017.

Hummingbird Foundation’s Rajiv Roy says, “Hummingbird Foundation’s primary agenda is to end human trafficking. As we know that human trafficking is a result of deep rooted gender based practices and violence that has been endowed upon the girls because girls have been are seen as a liability.  But ending this patriarchal mindset can’t be possible unless we involve the men and boys in this journey.” We’re confident that other stakeholders see the potential in integrating the approach in their current programmes as well.

Over the coming months you will see further updates on the programme on our Facebook page and our website.

Read Deep, Shanwara and Suman’s stories to get a glimpse of  Hummingbird Raise’s impact