In honour of the women who have helped build eCoexist...
The work we have done over the past ten years would have certainly not been possible without all the wonderful women who believed in our dreams and lent us a supporting hand. From designing our products, to handling our stocks, to speaking to audiences about us, to lending us furniture even... these women have been the backbone of our efforts. We have turned to them for advice in moments of doubt, and they have helped us reconstruct our confidence!
It is no surprise that most of these women have created their own organisations, stepped out of their comfort zones and led in their own fields, some times overcoming many challenges.
This womens day we would like to thank them all deeply from the bottom of our hearts for their faith in us and their love for eCoexist...Here are some of them....
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Abida Khan
Creative artist
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Abida loves fabrics! She helped start the cloth bags campaign at eCoexist and spent several years bringing it to a point where it could proceed on its own. Abida has a very large heart and she has offered voluntary service with many underprivileged groups from prisoners to tribal women in the Andamans.
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Rashi Goel
Greenpreneur
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Rashi Goel started her own company Green OK Please quite early in her age - she came to handle our Green Idea project on Upcycling for a year and in that time brought a whirlwind of energy with her ... Currently working with Green the Map in Delhi Rashi is filled with ideas about green business... we have our eyes on her future!
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Mona Doctor
Founder, Integral Space
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Friend Confidante and Guide, Mona Doctor is a healer at heart. She created The Integral Space in Mumbai, bringing together several alternative healers to offer a deeper perspective in health of mind,body and spirit. Mona is a crucial part of our team, offering unconditional love and support to us over the years.
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Dr Madhuri Sheth
Founder, Sanchetana
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At 82, Dr Madhuri Sheth is the leader of the lot. Mother and firebrand womens activist, she has set the tone for our work with women, through her own organisation for women entrepreneurs, Sanchetana. A business management expert and organisational behaviorist, she has guided eCoexist through its teething troubles, helping us understand what it takes to build strong teams. She continues to play Holi at all our parties!!!
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Jui Tawade
Heritage expert
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Jui Tawade is an architect by training but loves everything to do with art and heritage. As part of the INTACH team Jui has created awareness about architectural heritage in Pune bringing a sense of pride of place in Punekars. Jui loves all our projects and finds ways to connect us with her world constantly!
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Meenakshi Kapoor
Environmentalist
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Meenakshi breaks every stereotype ... we met her during her tenure at Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group and now she works with Namati. Meenakshi spearheaded the Safe Holi campaign in Delhi on behalf of eCoexist and dreams of opening her own social enterprise one day.
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Tasneem Balasinorwala
Tree lover
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Tasneem will do anything to save a tree. Including set up an entire citizens action group called Pune Tree Watch! Tasneem followed her heart and pursued her love for trees to finally end up on the Pune Tree Authority. A mother of two now she is biding her time, waiting to return to her passion for Nature and the environment.
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Jen Barron
Director, Sangam Girl Guides Center
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Jen Barron is the head of Sangam World Wide Girl Guides Center - she has single handedly ensured that the cloth bags campaign stays alive over the years! Jen hosts our Holi parties every year and has been responsible for spreading the word about eCoexist the world over. Jen is a true leader in her work and her world!
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Sunita Rao
Founder, Vanastree
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It was Sunita that began the Natural Holi colours - working in a remote forest in Karnataka, her organization Vanastree has been organising the women of the area in organic farming and kitchen gardens for nearly 15 years now. Sunita helped us create the first batch of colours and then negotiated our work with the women farmers who produced the colours for nearly eight years.
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Kruti Saraiya
Artist / Typographist
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Kruti Sarraiya brings her unique sense of design and style to our work with cloth bags. Kruti teaches typography at various schools and is the brain behind many a brand!
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Padmaja Jalihal
Founder, Heart for Art
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Padmaja Jalihal has a background in finance yet her heart is definitely in art. Padmaja has been by our side from the beginning - a die hard entrepreneur herself she is now involved in reviving the arts and crafts of India through her company Heart for Art.
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Rachana Toshniwal
Ecologist / Artist
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Rachana Toshniwal has spent seven years living in the Himalayas - with a masters in Environmental Science Rachana has lived and worked among rural communities. She recently took up her passion for art and has held solo shows of her paintings in Mumbai. Rachana is a bridge between Ecology and Art.
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Mehak Malhotra
Economist
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Mehak came to us just a teenager - she has a passion for recycling and has attended every single Beauty of Recycling event we have held so far. Pursuing her studies in Economics she led a market survey at the last recycling event to study the economic feasibility of upcycle products - we have great dreams for Mehak - with that briliant mind and that love for Nature she is going to lead from the frontlines!
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Shabana Diler
Waste management expert
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Shabana has worked for twelve years on the ground with the rag pickers cooperative Swach. Her humble manner belies her depth of knowledge of waste management and her compassion for the underprivileged comes through in her patience in organising cooperative action. We turn to Shabana constantly for guidance on waste matters!
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Natalie Leek
Partner, Leek Pipe Organs
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Natalie was the first one to invest in eCoexist. It has been built on the seed funding she gave us many moons ago and she continues to stay actively involved as a partner. Natalie recently adopted a special child and is now focussed on issues around disability and cerebral palsy.
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Madhumita Puri
Founder, Society for Child Development
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Dr Madhumita Puri works in the field of disability. An international award winner she runs a center for the disabled in Delhi, finding creative ways to help them earn. Her project Trash to Cash has been our reference for upcycling and her ability to think big has constantly challenged our own limits.
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Hoofrish Krishnamurthy
Founder, Gifts of Love
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Hoofrish, based in Delhi, runs an adorable brand called Gifts of Love. With two large gifting stores, Hoofrish has provided us with ideas and concepts since we started and we turn to her for all our work in Delhi.
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Suvarna Kadre
Project assistant eCoexist
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Suvarna is the youngest of us - but the most committed. Suvarna recently requested us to open a cloth bag unit in her village so that she could mobilise the women there and get them all involved in cloth bag making. She is our link to the ground and our visions could not have succeeded without the strong foundation she provides.
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Mala Dhawan
Founder, A Hundred Hands
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Mala Dhawan, juggles several hats - a single mother, breadwinner for the family she is passionate about handmade work and has done pathbreaking work in bringing artisans to the fore through her NGO A Hundred Hands. Mala has championed the Safe Festivals campaign with eCoexist in Bangalore for several years now.
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Sheetal Israni
Project Coordinator eCoexist
Fashion designer
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Sheetal is a fashionista - she brings her unique style sense to our cloth bags campaign with an attention to colour and detail. Whats more she is an animal lover and so with her come a range of four legged lovers that have won the hearts of everyone at the office!
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Dhara Kabaria
Product designer
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Dhara Kabarias passion for designing with waste inspired us greatly in the Green Idea project she did with us for a year. Dhara runs a design firm called Studio Alternatives in Pune. Her perseverance and commitment to her work and her vision for upcycling is unprecedented. Her presence in Pune is a gift to the city!
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