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Our Patron, Helen Clark
Shakti is proud and honoured to have the former Prime Minister of New Zealand, HELEN CLARK, as our Patron. She has known Shakti from inception and has been supportive of the work we do within New Zealand's migrant and refugee communities as well as the global cause of women working against violence. Helen Clark is currently the head of UNDP, at the United Nations, New York.
Thank you, Helen!
Vacancies at Shakti

DONATION

Safehouse: Shakti has four ethnic women's refuges in New Zealand. Please donate generously to the cause of ensuring safety to vulnerable women and children. Items needed include beds, bed linen, duvets, kitchen ware, groceries, sanitary products, toiletries, etc. Thank you.

Contact Shakti: For general enquiries/donations
Phone/Fax: + 64 9 8384217
Email: scc@shakti.org.nz funding@shakti.org.nz


Women in crisis, call 0800SHAKTI, our 24 hours crisis line

About Shakti

Shakti Community Council Inc., formerly known as the Shakti Migrant Services Trust has its origins in The Shakti Asian Women's Support Group founded by Farida Sultana and 7 other Asian women in Auckland in 1995.

In Mt Rosekill: Shakti's first office

The support group was set up by ethnic women for ethnic women to overcome the barriers that come with migration and break the bonds of cultural oppression imposed on them for generations. Besides enrolling themselves in Life Skills programmes and learning to become self-reliant, these women sought to challenge the cultural acceptance of Domestic Violence within their communities, promote greater gender equity and bring about social change.

Over the years, the Support Group has grown from the confines of one tiny room to a national umbrella organisation with several centres covering Central, West and South Auckland, North Island Central (Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Waikato) and South Island (based out of Christchurch). Services include a 24-hour domestic violence intervention service and other social services to migrant and refugee families.

Every year, Shakti services thousands of families from Asian, African and Middle Eastern ethnic groups, including Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Malay, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Burmese, Korean, Indian, Fiji Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Iranian, Iraqi and African. Shakti's forte has been in providing culturally-sensitive services, by ethnic people for ethnic people.

Shakti Community Council Inc. is approved by Child, Youth & Family (CYF) as a national umbrella organisation and some of the member organisations are individually CYF-approved as well. CYF approval ensures implementation of best-practice standards in social services. Shakti receives funding from various government agencies and private trusts in New Zealand.

Mission
Shakti's mission is to facilitate and ensure good health and overall well-being of New Zealand's migrant and refugee communities through culturally appropriate services within a culturally appropriate environment.

Vision
To enable all immigrants to be fully integrated into New Zealand society in such a manner that they are able to live a life of dignity free from violence and are able to exercise their rights and responsibilities.

Shakti Organisations in New Zealand:

  • Shakti Asian Women's Centre Inc - Auckland
  • Shakti Asian Women's Safehouse Inc. (2 Refuges) - Auckland
  • Shakti Legal Advocacy & Family Social Services Inc.- Auckland
  • Shakti Education Training & Advisory Company (SETAC) *NZQA-Registered training & education provider (Auckland and nationwide)
  • Shakti Ethnic Women's Support Group Central Region Inc.
  • Shakti Ethnic Women's Support Group Christchurch Inc.
  • Shakti Ethnic Women's Support Group Wellington Inc.

Shakti Overseas:

  • Shakti Migrant & Refugee Women's Support Group Melbourne Inc.
  • Shakti Ethnic Women's Support Group NSW Inc.
The projects and programmes delivered to over 40 different ethnic communities include:
  • Drop-in services
  • Advocacy
  • Domestic Violence Intervention Services
  • Refuge Services for ethnic women victims of violence and their children
  • 24-hour Crisis Call service for women in violent situations
  • Awareness and training programme for Community Advocates / Volunteers
  • Counselling & Legal Advocacy services
  • Family Settlement, Casework, Services for youth by youth
  • Positive Parenting Programmes
  • Social Services including Outreach work
  • Educational programmes for women like English Language, Driver Licensing, Career Development
  • NZQA accredited programmes for migrants and refugees *under development

Our goal is to assist migrant and refugee families integrate within the New Zealand society and economy harmoniously, taking into context the importance of acknowledging and operating in a multi-lingual and culturally appropriate environment.

Women in crisis can call our 24-hour, toll-free crisis line 0800 742584 (0800 SHAKTI) Email: sawc@shakti.org.nz

Rise Against Rape Culture


Shakti is supporting young women in the community to lead a silent protest RISE AGAINST RAPE CULTURE. This event is held on on Saturday 12 Jan 2013, in Aotea Square, Auckland in remembrance of the women rape victims in India. This event is open to public. Click the Facebook event for more info.

Fundraising Dinner


Shakti Wellington is holding a fundraising dinner and auction event at the Tulsi Restaurant 135, Cuba Street, Wellington on December 5. Please come with family and friends and take a stand against domestic violence. Email: wlg@shakti.org.nz or call 04 4998603
Find us on facebook

The Queen


On Sunday, May 27, 2012, Shakti well-wishers organized a fund-raising event, The Queen, in aid of Shakti Ethnic Family Services. Above pix is from a scene from the event. We thank all our supporters in the community who attended, contributed towards this fund-raiser and made it a huge success!

Purple Dandelion


Domestic violence in Asian, African and Middle Eastern communities is very much considered a personal matter. It is, in fact, a social issue that needs to be brought into the public domain, discussed and addressed. In an effort to highlight the various forms of socio-cultural oppression and violence against women and children, Shakti founder, Farida Sultana has written Purple Dandelion which is the story of her life and the lives of many other women, survivors and all those who made a difference in the society we live in. Published by Exisle Publishing (NZ), Purple Dandelion is available in leading New Zealand bookshops, international online bookstores and http://www.exisle.co.nz/

A percentage from the sale of the book will be donated to Project Women Against Violence.

For reviews click on www.stuff.co.nz or www.nzwomansweekly.co.nz

Youth Unit


With diversity comes challenges and opportunities. For migrant and refugee youth the challenges are enormous as they struggle to find common ground between traditional and western values. In our quest to enable our young people to come together, speak out and be heard, we have set up a Youth Unit led by youth for youth. For details of services offered click Youth Unit >