Kat Katha- Gitanjali Babbar

1. GAP Intensive
Discovery Information Set
Changemaker: Gitanjali Babbar
Organization: Kat-Katha
Website: http://www.kat-katha.org/

2. About the CM / Organization
Delhi's GB road is the biggest red light area in the nation's capital. Behind most
of the faces lie untold stories of pain and suffering. More than 4,000 women and
1500 children live in 77 brothels, most of whom are there by force, sold as young
children, or trafficked. But these sex workers have found a friend in Gitanjali
Babbar, who has made it her mission to empower them through love. ​
Gitanjali through Kat-Katha, a nonprofit that's quietly been transforming G.B.
Road brothels into classrooms, and safe spaces for the women and their
children to learn, explore creative arts, and come alive with a sense of
connection, expression, and possibility. Through Kat-Katha, Gitanjali provides
women sex workers with caring support and the chance to pursue a basic
education, to develop job-related skills for alternate livelihoods.
A graduate in journalism and a post-graduate in development communications,
Gitanjali Babbar's life journey began in a brothel in GB Road when she started
Kat-Katha and is still continuing. Gitanjali Babbar is woman on a mission, a
seeker journeying the path, and a sister connecting with family in the most
unlikely of places.

3. Discovery Information Report
- “From GB Road to Dream Village”
About the Changemakers
Gitanjali Babbar – Kat Katha (NCR)
Kat Katha works with the sex workers and their families, living on G. B Road – New Delhi, to
create awareness about their rights and bring them into the mainstream society through
campaigns / interactions. Their aim is to instil confidence among these women and build a
community full of mutual trust and learnings.
Area of Impact:
Work with the sex workers and their families, living on G. B Road – New Delhi,
Vision:
Set up ‘Dream Village’ in the next 3 years – a safe haven where they can learn, earn, live
with respect in the society

4. Discovery Information Report
- Key Insights from A Team
Vikram Kohli – Business Expert
(Head of Technology & Customer Service @ QiloTech)
a. Very passionate & committed for a great initiative, but she needs
to do work with a focus on the outcome.
b. The Team needs to pick one project which has the highest impact
on the lives of the sex workers and their families.

5. Discovery Information Report
- Key Insights from A Team
Insights from the ‘A’ team members
Pavan Bhat – Student
(Shri Ram College of Commerce)
a. Geetanjali and her team have done tremendous work in mobilising
the sex workers’ community and helped increase awareness about
diseases and importance of education.
b. I feel that there is no clear demarcation of roles and responsibilities
within the team and all of them are working without being
accountable for the work. Most members work on a volunteer basis
and their contribution and zeal might be short lived due to other
commitments.
c. The team also does not seem to have clear objectives. The Kat
Katha initiative is used as a school to educate the kids of the sex
workers and there are other initiatives for the purpose of educating
sex workers themselves. The impact has been maximum with the
kids and they are doing great for themselves.

6. Eye Opener (anything of great value, / impact, significance)
a. I was shocked to see the extent of the problem in Delhi. During my visit
I met a sex-worker from Karnataka who had been sent here at the age
of 14. Speaking to her in Kannada and knowing her story made me
understand how bad is the trafficking scenario.
Nuggets (an event or situation that proves to be unexpectedly enlightening)
a. Prostitution and sex workers are banned in India and it is illegal.
Probably regulating this market would make it easier for the government
to keep a check on the sex workers. The resettling of sex workers is
extremely difficult as they are currently earning quite large sums of
money which they will not earn elsewhere.
Discovery Information Report
- Key Insights from A Team

7. Spot the Potential (ideas or potential opportunities)
a. She could look at educating and then generating employment for the
kids of these women so that they earn their livelihood / also support
their families.
b. The organisation needs to be departmentalised and the team must be
held accountable and responsible for certain goals such as funding, PR,
project A, Project B, etc.
c. The goal of liberating the sex workers does seem slightly unrealistic
since they are already earning lots of money and their incentive to move
out is low.
d. They should aim to provide education and vocational training to the
children of the sex workers.
e. The initiative should create awareness amongst the sex workers about
health issues / sanitation and ensure children do not get trafficked into
the brothels.
Discovery Information Report
- Key Insights from A Team

8. Outcomes
a. Completed the Discovery sessions with Ajaya Mohapatra and Gitanjali
Babbar along-with Mr. Vikram Kohli (Business Expert) and Mr. Pavan
Bhat (Student)
b. Completed the Discovery Information Set and Agreement for Ajaya
Mohapatra
c. Initiated the business coaching sessions for Gitanjali Babbar
Discovery Information Report
- Key Insights from A Team

9. Next Steps
a. Coordinate meeting of Academic Expert, NGO Representative and
Coach with the Changemakers (pending for last 4 weeks);
b. Coordinate with Gitanjali to complete the GAP Intensive Discovery
Information Set (currently undergoing Business coaching sessions);
c. Complete the Discovery Reports for Ajaya & Gitanjali
d. Coordinate with the ‘A’ team members to complete the ‘Unlocking the
Potential’ sessions (tentatively in the 2nd week of Oct ‘17)
Discovery Information Report
- Key Insights from A Team

10. Vision, Focus & Beneficiaries
 Vision of Kat-Katha is to “End forced sex work”
 Kat-Katha’s focus is to present a set of life choices to
the women and children living in the brothels of GB road
and instill confidence, hope and passion to enable their
alternate life choice. Kat-Katha wants to create this as a
replicable model to make a difference in the world.
 The beneficiaries that Kat-Katha wants to impact are
women & children living in brothels of GB Road.

11. Women
 Thousands of women are forced into prostitution.
They are living a life of slaves with their children
having no basic amenities and opportunities to live a
dignified life.
 We want these women to live a respectable life in the
mainstream society by the provision of rights, skills,
acceptance, and education.
 We launched projects like Rubaroo, Maitri Meals to
create women entrepreneurs and impacted several
women through that.

12. Women

13. Children
 Apart from the women, young children living in brothels
also get impacted by the violence around them.
Adolescent boys often get pulled into being pimps. The
scenario is even more difficult for adolescent girls because
they are sold in the market when they attain puberty.
 We created a space for education, self-exploration,
creative endeavors, social exchange programs and self-
reflection.

14. Key goals & Outcomes
 Bridge School on Road- The idea is to get more children and
didi’s and to the school and make it a safe place for learning the
beauty of life.l. Since this is the bridge between a brothel and the
outside world therefore this is the place where they need to be
challenged and held. Attached a doc.
 Hriday Kunj- In the next 6 months we plan to have a Home for
our older children outside of GB Road as it is not only their desire
but also that of their mothers have agreed that living in the
brothel is not healthy for them.
 Dream Village - In the next 3 years the idea is to have a safe
space outside of GB Road for didi’s as well. A space where they
can learn, earn, live with respect and freedom and get prepared
for mainstreaming. Attached a doc.

15. Leadership and Organization
Structure
 The Board was formed at the beginning of Kat-Katha. At
that time the main focus was to get 7 trustworthy people
from different states, hence the board comprises of my
friends and 3 didi’s from GB Road.
 The Board in the first meeting decided that I should be the
Executive Director.
 The Board has hardly met except for once in 2016, hence
the review mechanism is not worth mentioning.
 There is an org chart: attached as annexure 1. The roles
are defined but has not been followed up in the true spirit.
 Kat mainly functions out of the feeling of love, empathy
and togetherness and that has become the culture.

16. Board & Governance
 The organization is founder driven.
 The role of board is attached as annexure 2.
 Details of Board is attached as annexure 3.
 Kat’s board is not very effective though they wish to take
Kat to a different level. But as an organization we failed to
involve them. The decision making is handled by core
team which comprises of Gitanjali and Ritu (left in April)
and supported by Hari Uncle.
 We wish to change our board and have people who are in
sync with the cause and with our values. Most importantly
who really wish to work, mentor Kat and take it to a new
level.
 Annual Report is attached as annexure 4.

17.  We have audits completed by an independent CA Firm for
the years 2013 - 2016 (3 years). Audit for the FY 2016-17
is to be actioned
 We have all the proper documents. Attached as annexure
5
 Yes Kat-Katha has 12A and 80G and these are valid. But
we have not yet applied for FCRA.
Audit & Compliance

18. Financial Management
 We prepare an annual budget but have not been able to follow it in
letter and spirit as the dynamics of the issues are constantly revised
due to emotional sways. As the board is hardly functional most of the
decisions are taken by Gitanjali and Ritu and Hari Uncle exercises
certain amount of caution to ensure there is diligence in the
expenses and also does not create precedences which will be hard
to explain or defend.
 Kat-Katha mostly gets funds from friends and well wishers. The only
strategy is in building genuine relationships with donors. So that they
know that their money is getting utilized properly.
 Yes, attached as annexure 5
 Our bankers are Yes Bank wherein we have two accounts one for
General Purposes and one for Maitri Meals. The Bank Statements
are reviewed once a month for cash flow and fund raising. Cash
transaction is limited to a suspense fund of RD 10000/ per month for
sundry expenses and a Day Book is maintained and closed at the
end of every month. All expenses are supported by Vouchers

19. SUPPORT OFFERED
 Kat Katha came into existence with a view to convert the
entire road into a Street of Pure Love from its present
state of deprived and depraved love. Though it is in the
heart of Delhi, the National capital, it is neglected, faceless
and taboo for many because of its repute. The area has
no schooling, no health facilities, no free spaces, no voice
or exposure for basis rights. The squalor and deprivation
is stark. Kat was born with the objective to give equal
opportunity to these wonderful souls to merge with the
mainstream as normal citizens.

20. Programs under RISE
 The RISE Approach that addresses the Rights of
the women and children, their Integration into the
mainstream, providing opportunities to hone their
Skills, and creating a platform for their Education
has been the core of our efforts to enable them
explore the possibility of achieving their individual
dreams

21. RIGHTS
 The fundamental right which implies basic human rights
has been one of the core concerns of Kat-Katha. Our aim
is to build awareness among policy makers and sex
workers, about their rights like every other citizen, and
ensure these rights are made available to them.

22. ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES
 Advocacy- Advocacy with Police, Government bodies,
lawyers and Doctors for providing services on GB Road
 Election card camps - Worked with Election commission
of India to issue election cards so that they come in the
data of our Govt.
 Health camps - To reach out to larger number of women
for availing access to medicines.
 Brothel immersion - Holding discussion platforms with
Didis about their rights in conversations.

23. ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES
 1) Kat-Kalrav – Carnival on GB Road to celebrate
a day of freedom for the sex workers.
 2) Samjho Toh Express- It was a 3 months
campaign with an objective to build friendship
between volunteers and didi’s.
 3) Chai pe Charcha- The aim is to create safe
sharing space inside the brothel over chai.
 4) Celebration of festivals on road.

24. ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES

25. ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES
 Earn & Learn Ventures - The major objective is to
bring women out of brothels. We started projects
like Maitri Meals and Rubaroo to involve women in
the skill building process and execution of full
fledged business ventures.
 Workshops - To rebuild their self esteem and
confidence through the adoption of various skills.
The skill building workshops helped the women to
learn tailoring, notebook, cards, wine etc.

26. ACTIVITIES & OUTCOMES
 6 Children are now enrolled into HOPE School in
Nizammuddin after their basic training at Kat School and
now 3 of them are appearing for their 10th boards this
year
 Co-curricular activities- Photography, Dance & Theatre-
The idea of Kat-Katha is to give choices to the women and
children of GB Road. And our activity center is one way to
give these choices and our efforts combined with the hard
work of our children has resulted in establishing, The
Magical Lens (a photography initiative) and The Mystical
Movers (A dance initiative). For Magical Lens, Nimish the
co-founder has also been selected as Ashoka Youth
Venturer 2017.
 Focus on Values- Since its inception, Kat-Katha was clear
that its main focus is on strengthing value system in
children. Cleaning, prayers and circle of sharing is the
most important.

27. INTEGRATION
 Our Integration project focuses on this very thought of
harmony. With this project we wish to integrate Didis in
GB Road into the mainstream society and through
campaigns and interactions, raise awareness and dispel
misconceptions about GB Road and its inhabitants among
the society.
 The volunteerism aspect has been important in bridging
the gap between GB road and the world outside.

28. SKILLS
 To provide skill development opportunities for an
alternative livelihood to women and children. This includes
training in crafts, literacy and numeracy. These skills
allows the women to make alternate choices about their
livelihoods and to confidently engage in business
opportunities to generate income and build self-
confidence.
 The Skills project offers a platform to the Didis of G.B
Road, by holding workshops, collaborating with different
organizations to help them pursue an alternative
livelihood.

29. SKILLS

30. EDUCATION
 Kat-Katha offers customized education modules to the
children of GB Road who start late and lack access to
something as basic as admission to a school.
 With the help of our volunteer base, we engage with the
children through a variety of sessions across subjects like-
English, Maths, Science, as well as focusing on holistic
development modules like Drama, Dance, Music and
many others for emotional, social and intellectual growth,
moral values, prayers and sharing circles and cleaning
practices.

31.  We make plans but they always ends up becoming
a piece of paper. Everytime I see a new thing, I
incorporate that in the plan which confuses the
team.
 There is a lack of well thought, well documented,
satisfied strategic plan. But there is a strong need
for the same.
Planning

32.  At the moment Fundraising is being done by
Gitanjali under the guidance of Hari Uncle by
reaching out to a circle of donors and also applying
for some grants on line. We have no detailed plan
for Fund Raising.
 However, we now have a team of 3 people who
have assured that they would do the Fund raising
for the next 3 months and I should focus on
strengthening the field work.
Fundraising

33. Impact Assessment
Project Domain- Social security -Empower women and children
living in brothels of GB Road to live a life of their own choice and
pursue their dreams with dignity, ownership and compassion
through RISE (rights, Integration, skill and Education)approach
Beneficiaries impacted as on date:- Life 700 women and children
from brothels impacted
Direct and indirect impact on beneficiaries through the project-
- 600 voters Id made for women in collaboration with election
commission of India,700 women and children accessed medical
facility through health camps,12 families were supported in police
and legal cases, 40 women successfully engaged in skill building
projects like rubaro, Batua & notebook making. 80 children &
women impacted through academic training and progams,20
children actively involved in dance , theatre, photography etc.

34. Impact on society through this project- 3000 people from
community join hands in kat – kalrav and yatra. 100 women
engages in chai charcha with volunteers in brothels. 4000
women children and volunteers celebrated festivals on GB
road. This has brought in awareness about these women in the
society and has awakened the society to come forward to
support them.
Measurement of Impact- impact is measured based on the
number of women and children connected, trained and
educated.
Data collection for impact measurement- Data collected
manually
Impact measurement tools used- No tools used
Impact Assessment

35. https://youtu.be/cQ_QuP8zTFo
https://youtu.be/cQkizSKE-Rk
Video of Changemaker
• The GAP Intensive Changemaker | Geetanjali
Babbar | Founder of Kat-Katha
• Kat-kalrav - An Annual event by an NGO Kat-katha,
on 15th August at G.B.Road (Red Light Area of
Delhi)

36. Thank You