Personnel Overview

Indira Jena - Founder/Managing Trustee
Indira is an economist with 20 years experience in the women's movement, including heading a funding agency's women's department. She specializes in networking female employees in rural grassroots NGOs, and providing training on project management and monitoring. She is the author of Herstory, a book on the role of women in the Indian Independence struggle in the states of Orissa and Bihar.

Uma Maheshwari - Founder/Program Coordinator
Uma is a sociologist with 20 years involvement in the women's movement, including working for a rural NGO. In her role as Program Coordinator at Nirnaya, she visits grantees and reviews their projects. Uma also has a background in herbal and traditional practices and is the co-author of a book on the topic. She also co-authored a book on the role of women in the Telengana Peasant Struggle.

Sangeetha Pearl - Communications Officer
Since receiving her commerce degree 10 years ago, Sangeetha has handled development for a variety of women's projects. At Nirnaya she manages communications with government departments, board and advisory council members, and acts as a liaison between grantees and the Managing Trustee. She also prepares budgets and project proposals for Nirnaya, and provides similar assistance to grantees.

Personnel Statistics

Indira Jena, Mananging Trust / CEO
Founded in 1998
Employees: 6
Volunteers: 10

Financial Statistics

Budget (2006): 150,000
Budget (2005): 120,000
Maximum Budget: 180,000
Overhead: 30%
Other funding sources: Ford Foundation, Global fund For Women, Mama Cash, A&C Kumar Family Foundation, individual donors / Diaspora, corporates in India
Religious Affiliation: Secular organization supporting communal harmony