TOKYO January/12/2023 —Gawain, Tokyo and Delhi based non-profit organization developing a method to end rape in slums, is pleased to announce that we have been selected for the "LUSH Charity Pot Grants" project by LUSH Japan. LUSH is a pioneer of fresh handmade cosmetics and has been making significant contributions to the environment and society. "LUSH Charity Pot Grants" is a grant program designed to support organizations that work towards creating a better society and environment, and inspiring society for better change. Gawain, whose mission is to end rape in slum areas in India, was selected as one of the recipients.
"For the past four years, we have received no grants or donations from anyone and have been working steadily, all at my own expense. I believe that being recognized and funded by LUSH is a big step forward for Gawain and worth more than the money we receive.”, said Masayoshi Sakurai, Founder and CEO, Gawain.
Background of grant acquisition
Gawain spent about 4 years developing a rape prevention method to be used in the slums of India. In 2022, we conducted a randomized controlled trial with Tsukuba University, targeting more than 2,000 women from 502 households living in three slums in Delhi: Ravidas camp, Hanuman camp, and Parvatiya camp. In 2022, we conducted a randomized controlled trial with Tsukuba University, targeting more than 2,000 women from 502 households living in three slums in Delhi: Ravidas camp, Hanuman camp, and Parvatiya camp. Based on these improvements, we are planning to launch a larger scale project in January 2023 targeting 1,000 households/5,000 women at Kusumpur Pahari camp in the same province. The funds raised through the LUSH Charity Bank will be used to cover the costs of the project.
Kusumpur Pahari camp
The area is one of the most dangerous areas in Delhi, and the hearing survey conducted by Gawain which was done to approximately 100 randomly selected individuals revealed that over 60% of females experienced stalking in the past 6 months, over half experienced unintentional physical contact, and approximately 40% experienced a rape or attempted rape. In order to guarantee the safety of our project members in the field, Gawain will always form alliances with the local police for protection and intervene if it is required.
About Gawain
Gawain is an Japanese NGO based in India, with a mission to "end rape in slums". We are developing the world's first effective rape prevention program for slum. Rape is one of the crimes with the highest number of unknown cases, so precise statistics are not available. Just in India where Gawain is located, 28,046 women reported harm in 2020, which shows about 80 rapes cases per day (NCRB). To ensure safety in project implementation, we have formed alliances with local police, and conduct joint research with universities to ensure accurate impact evaluations, and collaborate with a variety of stakeholders to advance the project. Regardless of gender, caste, or wealth, we will continue to work on building a "living infrastructure" where everyone can live in peace.
Official website：https://www.sirgawain.org/