Saheli, a 23 year old organization works tirelessly to provide support to South Asian women and families in the Greater Boston Area.  They are holding a fundraiser, Nirbhaya on Dec. 8th at the Boston Marriott in Burlington, MA. Meenakshi Garodia, Priya Murali and Divya Chaturvedi  talked about Nirbhaya and Saheli. 

“Saheli is an incredible organization that has helped over 5000 women find support. Last month alone we helped 64 women,” says Meenakshi Garodia who has volunteered for 10 years and joined the board this year. “It really upsets me to see how so many women are treated so badly.  When they have no where to turn to, having Saheli makes a big difference.”

How is Saheli funded?
“We operate on a shoe-string budget.  We work on a combination of grants and community support. The South Asian community in Boston has been a big supporter for so many years and we are grateful for that support. More recently, the growing community has led us to increase our services.  We are pleased that we have a state grant that covers our operational expenses. However all the financial assistance we need to provide comes out of the fundraisers we hold”, says Divya Chaturvedi, who is the executive director of the organization. “The Nirbhaya fundraiser is held once every two years and provides much needed support to help our clients”

Why do people volunteer for the organization?
“I joined the organization as a volunteer because I was very moved by the plight of some of the women who have been helped by Saheli. Many have 2 little kids just like me and I cannot imagine the hardship when they are abused or abandoned and left to their own devices. Many are not educated. Some do not even know English.  Yet I am always amazed at how they transform with just a little help and how quickly they are able to stand on their own” says Priya Murali . 

“Unfortunately abuse is seen across all socio-economic groups. Some are highly educated and we have clients from all religious background. It is an evil that affects every group” says Divya.

“We provide a range of assistance.  Emergency funds for immediate needs, Scholarships for school, English tutoring, transportation and legal assistance are major categories. In addition we do a lot of outreach to bring awareness for a variety of issues” says Meenakshi

“We would like to have a transitional housing facility. It is a very important for the women to have a safe and culturally appropriate shelter.  We hope to work towards that in the next 3-5 years” says Divya. 

“To have a great time, enjoy good food, fun entertainment and of course support the cause. We hope to raise 150,000 $ this year.  We are looking to the community for support” says Priya.

“Unfortunately yes. As the community grows we are seeing a large number of people.  We are also seeing several senior citizens, men and women suffer” says Meenakshi. 

“The real heroes at Saheli at the DV advocates who work tirelessly to support the victims. Watching them is truly inspiring. When  we see success stories, and we have many of them, we feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to help” says Divya. 

For more information on Nirbhaya, please go to