Sruthi Kc

Parivarthan Charitable Trust: A Ray of Hope Parivarthan Charitable Trust (R) a Ray of Hope to Change” the lives and make a difference in transgenders was launched in 30 2016. It is working as an NGO Velvet Pereria runs this organization for transgender community and their right. In Karnataka Parivarthan Charitable Trust is one and only NGO that runs by an individual. Transgenders are individuals and their gender identities do not concern to their biological sex, and thus they differ from the stereotype of how men and women normally are. Transgender do not include sexual orientation or physical sex characteristics, but is in fact a less clinical term, which pertains to gender identity and gender expression. Thus, transgenders encompass those people whose identity and behavior do not adhere to the stereotypical gender norms. Since the beginning of time and the existence of humankind, transgenders have been very much a part of the society. It is just that they were given a name and status in the society in recent times and now there is even medical technology available especially for them. Transgenders have been facing many problems since their childhood days. Family and society avoid them, they have restricted to pursue education, health services, spaces, and they are excluded from effective participation in social and cultural life; politics and decision-making processes have been out of their reach. Transgender community most of the times face difficulties in excersing their basic civil rights, reports of harassments, violence against them, denial of basic services and unfair treatment against transgender community. Transgender community is also entitled to basic rights, right to personal liberty, dignity, freedom of speech and expression, right to education and empowerment, right against violence, discrimination and exploitation and right to work. Moreover, every person must have the right to decide his/her gender expression and identity, including transsexuals, transgender, hijaras should have right to freely express their gender identity and be considered as a third sex. Thus, today the transgenders in India are considered as the discriminated part. Nevertheless, not many Indian states consider them as an unwanted part. Including Karnataka has not fully implemented this mentality towards transgender community. Observing all the inconveniences, hassles, problems and discrimination faced by the transgenders in the society, Violet Pereria of Mangaluru working as a Good Samaritan along with another social worker Nanda Pais of Mangaluru joined together and thought of doing something good to the transgender community. For the last, many years Violet Pereria has been involved in social service and helping the poor and the needy people in the society. She is being a Good Samaritan to these less fortunate or homeless people stranded on the streets needing help and care. Having concern for the transgender the way they live in the community, Violet have written an article on transgender and felt the need to transform their lives by bringing them to the mainstream. She discussed her desire of working for the transgenders with Nanda Pais and decided to start a charitable trust for uplifting of transgender community. She used to conduct talk with transgender people to understand their problems, stresses, where they openly expressed their need of a trust. The idea of forming a charitable trust named Parivarthan was conceived where the trust would do good things for a good transformation for the lives of transgenders. So many good changes happened among transgender community through Parivarthan. August 30th 2016 has created a history of Mangaluru. Where the birth of Parivarthan Charitable Trust took place aiming to bring changes in the lives of transgenders. MP Nalin Kumar Kateel inaugurated the programme by lighting the lamp along with other dignitaries on August 30 2016. Zereena a transgender woman from Bellari district says, “This is a great initiative taken by Violet Pereria to fight for the right of the transgenders and try to bring a change in our lives through this. We are so happy to be within this group, I am really feeling so comfortable once I started getting respect from the society because of this trust. This trust has given a respected chance to the transgenders to raise their voice in the society, face like other human beings and mingle with rest of the community without fear or shame”. This kind of idea of starting a trust in Mangaluru for transgenders should inspire others to open such trusts in their respective towns and states. The government and the law enforcement authorities should support and give protection to these transgenders in their time of needs and consider them just like the rest of us. Violet Pereria says, “The efforts put in by my colleague and other friends have done a fruitful work and this trust launched today will go a long way catering to the needs and solving the problems of the transgenders lives. This trust will surely bring the transgenders to the mainstream where they too can be part of the society. Like how the transgenders have been given all the rights in many western countries in a similar way India should also follow in the footsteps of these western countries. As of today let us not discriminate the transgenders, instead respect and treat them just like rest of the human beings”. Parivarthan Charitable Trust is exclusively for the transgenders where they could share their views, their problems and eventually solve them through the trust. When British ruled India, they considered themselves as higher class or white people and treated Indians as lower class naming them brown people. Those days are gone, presently we should not discriminate anyone, because we are all children of God created equally. Just because there are a few people in an organization, we should not consider the entire organization as bad. Similarly, there may be a few bad transgender people, that doesn’t mean that the entire transgender community is bad. Through Parivarthan police department also started helping them and giving support for their secure life. In our city, there are many transgender people still doing sex work and begging too. This has to stop and provide them good jobs. Parivarthan Charitable Trust has taken an initiative to provide job for them. Therefore, Parivarthan started giving tailoring workshops and beautician courses. Some of them started working as a beautician and tailors in Mangaluru. Same time, among transgender community there are educated people too. Parivarthan Charitable Trust is also trying to provide them good jobs. On the day of 12 May, transgenders voted and started participating in decision-making process too. Total number of seventy-three, forty transgender people got their voter identity cards and ration cards through Parivarthan. Priya a transgender woman says, “I never had a voter id card and this is the first time that I am going to vote. This is a good sign of hope and change. Every transgender community has to be more powerful and we have right to vote and feel all the democratic criteria. From today I can proudly say that I am also a part of democracy and I can fearlessly say that I am a part of decision making”. Mangaluru has been turning into a land of opportunities for mangalamukhis or transgenders. Close on the heels of transgender Kajal bagging a role of an actor and RJ another talent from the community Sanjana has been chosen as the brand ambassador for a national level event to be held yearly next year. Sanjana is also an unavoidable part of Parivarthan Charitable Trust and being as a Secretary. Sanjana says, “Life hasn’t been a bed of roses for me here either. I had to face the wrath of the Guru and the Naani here too. Each started demanding RS 6000 from me. Paying RS 12000 per month, in addition to paying my room rent and looking after other expenses was not easy. Beggary and sex were my only options. This is when Parivarthan Charitable Trust helped me and sufferers like me a couple of years ago. It is the same trust that facilitated my selection as the brand ambassador. So I am so happy to be a part of Parivarthan Charitable Trust”. Presently, Sanjana working as a beautician also in Mangaluru. Parivarthan Charitable Trust has always been there to address the problems of the transgenders since its inception and has been trying to bring every transgender in and around Mangaluru to the mainstream. There are so many unsung, un-wept and un-honored in the journey called life. Repeatedly these transgenders continue to do great work without even asking for anything. It is our responsibility to elevate them front and make their life like us. They are human beings and they have a life too. As the name, Parivarthan Charitable Trust will always take care of their life to get them front of the society and make sure their life is secure and facilitated. People around the city are giving big hats off for Parivarthan Charitable Trust and its grateful works that has done for transgender community. References: www.mangalorean.com