JIGRI DOST
Over the years, many incredible ideas have emerged from Rafooghar. Some received grants from prestigious institutions and foundations. Some were self-funded. And some came to life simply because the right people showed up at the right time. Some complete strangers, some friends of friends of friends, and some anonymous supporters who believe in what we are trying to build.
Again and again, these moments have reaffirmed our belief that it is the extraordinary goodwill of ordinary people that makes the world a little more hopeful every day.
For a long time, we have wanted to acknowledge, strengthen, and nourish these serendipitous encounters, and somehow reciprocate by turning them into lifelong friendships. We also believe that the power to support meaningful ideas should belong to communities, not just institutions or philanthropists.
JIGRI DOST is our inner circle of solidarity and support where strangers, acquaintances, friends, and family come together to support our community members as well as their ideas and initiatives.
Every person who becomes a JIGRI DOST becomes our jigar ka tukda- our forever friend.
Your support helps bring ideas to life, and in return, we invite you into the journey itself: from the earliest spark of an idea to its final execution. You become a witness, a collaborator, and a co-dreamer.
And as the women of Rafooghar have taught us, we reciprocate with generosity-first with gratitude and by acknowledging that our work is possible because of you but most importantly by welcoming you into our world…with home-cooked meals and handmade gifts, invitations to intimate workshops and secret gatherings, and by sharing our methods, our methodology, and all the madness that keeps us afloat.
Come be our Jigri Dost.. write to us at rafoogharfamily@gmail.com to know more.
Some of the projects that have found Jigri Dosts and need some more are:
the PINK WOLF
The Pink Wolf is a short stop motion film showcasing Pinky’s journey from working as a garbage picker to becoming a Rugby player told by her through an embroidered book, a rap song and a stop motion animation.
Read more about it here
BARKAT(abundance)
Women who come to Rafooghar carry with them generations of knowledge- of soil, seasons, seeds; but due to lack of space in their neighbourhoods, this knowledge often remains unused. Barkat (abundance) is our terrace permaculture garden, led by the women themselves, a model for sustainable urban farming and food sovereignty in Shaheen Bagh. A space that could also extend into a learning site. A place where children could come to understand climate change and sustainability through doing, through touching soil, through making and growing. Art workshops, hands-on sessions, small experiments…
Read more about it here
SABKI
Community LIBRARY
For the past two years, we have been thinking of starting a community library at Rafooghar, extending our values of rest, repair and rejuvenation through reading, thinking, collectively reflecting and expanding our minds.
Sabki library - a library for all is in the making with the help and support of our friend Riya Parikh.
A library that brings together women, young people, and children of varied ages, interests, experiences and faiths. An open-minded and deeply-connected space where books are joined by toys, games, music, theatre, dance, textiles, knitting, painting, puppetry, performances and many other ways of knowing, creating and expressing.
To volunteer you time, to donate books, resources, funds or simply to know more, please write to rafoogharfamily@gmail.com