Prema Gopalan
Prema Gopalan is an Indian social activist. She has founded and been Executive Director of Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) for over 15 years, supported poor rural women in building bridges with local government to facilitate democratic processes that are inclusive of women.[1] She is also well known for the disaster relief work after her rehabilitation work in Maharashtra.[2]
Early life
Prema Gopalan was born in Pune, India.[3] She has a Master’s degree in social work, and a pre-doctoral study on women in the informal sector.
Career
Prema Gopalan founded SPARC (Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centers) in 1984.
She started Swayam Shikshan Prayog in 1994. Her work aims to put rural poor women at the center of decentralized, democratic, basic-service management.[4]
The Swayam Shikshan Prayog functioned as a self-education network within SPARC until we took on the challenge to redesign and implement a widespread community participation strategy with the Govt. of Maharashtra across 1200 villages in earthquake hit districts of Latur and Osmanabad.[5]
Personal life
Prema Gopalan is married, her husband also works in the citizen sector. She lives in Mumbai.
Awards
- Ashoka Fellow, 2003
- The Mary Fran Myers Award, 2007
- Changemakers Award, 2008
References
- ↑ http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/ssp/118200395230.htm
- ↑ http://www.redorbit.com/news/international/276138/indiapakistan_quake_toll_rises_as_politics_hampers_relief/index.html
- ↑ http://www.khemkafoundation.org/awards/sey08/prema-gopalan.php
- ↑ http://www.ashoka.org/node/2586
- ↑ http://www.developednation.org/interviews/premagopalan.htm