The Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan Trust received £3,994 from the Leicestershire Fund and £1,000 from Red Nose Day Community Cash recently through the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation, in order to expand its work with vulnerable women in Leicester City and across the county.
Zinthiya works with women of all ages who suffer from social problems, such as struggling single mothers, ex-offenders, those who are not in employment, women who work on the streets and victims of domestic violence. Zinthiya aims to build their confidence and to open the door to legitimate work and chances to support themselves.
Thanks to the grants received, Zinthiya has six volunteers working as mentors giving advice and guidance, and around 20 who do administrative tasks and book-keeping. Zinthiya, herself, does a lot of the one-to-one coaching and mentoring of the women. The work does not lend itself to groups as the women usually want to protect their privacy.
“It’s labour-intensive to work one-to-one, but this system works. What’s important about the work we do is that we give hope to people,” Zinthiya says.
And there’s a lot of evidence that this system works. Zinthiya has successfully helped more than 250 women since 2009. Many of them have gone on to be employed by Tomorrow Together – the social enterprise which Zinthiya started to give these women a future. Tomorrow Together does contract cleaning and catering, amongst other things.
The Zinthiya Trust is funded mainly by grants from charities. Zinthiya’s latest project is a women’s centre, which will open at the beginning of July 2013. She will provide a drop-in service offering mentoring and guidance on subjects such as housing and benefits. She is seeking donations and particularly volunteers who can assist with this project, which will be at an undisclosed location.
If you would like to volunteer with the Zinthiya Ganeshpanchan Trust please call 0116 251 9068 or visit www.zinthiyatrust.org
If you would like to help Zinthiya or other organisations like hers please contact Laura Grant at the Leicestershire and Rutland Community Foundation on 07771 606 400 or at laura.grant@llrcommunityfoundation.org.uk.
