Media Release

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Founder of Re-Chal Charitable Trust (R), an NGO, Nirma D’Souza, daughter of Cyril Robert D’Souza and Celestin D’Souza Bhatnagar Thokkottu, here, was awarded Universal Harmony Women’s Empowerment Award on the occasion of International Women’s Day held on Saturday December 12 at KROSS, Bengaluru. The event was organised by the archdiocese of Bengaluru commissions IRD, Ecumenism and dialogue.

Nirma was awarded for her outstanding contribution to the service of humanity and youth. Re–Chal, the meaning of this NGO is 're' meaning again, 'chal' a Hindi word meaning walk. This NGO has been helping children, youth and women who are unable to walk due to social and economical reasons. The NGO begun by Nirma has been serving humanity. She says her father was the inspiration for her to start this NGO. Her father who is involved in several charitable works is her role model. She says, "When I was small, I used to see the works of my dad and got the idea to start this NGO." She says that her dad encouraged her when she expressed her desire to start this NGO. Her mother is another person she always looks up to. She says that her mother never discouraged her, be it be for her education or for her works in empowering the poor and the needy. Through this NGO, she single-headedly helped many children, youth and women to walk again (Re – Chal).

Nirma who holds an MSW degree from Roshni Nilaya had a desire to serve the poor and the needy. She has completed MA in Sociology and MSc in Psychology as well as a BEd degree.

She was given the award for her outstanding services that she rendered to humanity.

She worked as Karnataka Regional Animator for Youth movement, as well as among the Alcoholic Anonymous community.

She has the practical experience in working with children, youth, women and senior citizens. She was a coordinator for Makkala Sahaya Vani (Childline-1098) in the office of the Police Commissioner in Bengaluru. She too has served as state assistant coordinator for Women and Child Departments, Project of Missing Child Bureau, Don Bosco Organization, Bengaluru. She has been training officer for the Labour Net Private Ltd, Bengaluru, worked as a coordinator for Carmel Jyothi NGO, Bellary. Apart from her social service she has been a lecturer at St Sebastian PU College, Permannur and student counsellor at St Aloysius PU College, Mangaluru. She currently works as a student counsellor at St Joseph’s Indian High School and as coordinator of Center for Social Concern at St Joseph’s Indian Institutions, Bengaluru.

As part of the Centre for Social Concern Activities of St Joseph’s Indian Institution Nirma has been working with the Bijapur district students, empowering them with counselling and psycho-education programmes, rural and urban cultural expose programmes, various awareness programmes for the teachers, social works and common people for the last 3 years.

She too was the member of Youth Quake, AICUF and ICYM, the animator for YSM Karnataka region, founded Re-Chal Charitable Trust (R) in 2014 for empowering women, the welfare of the children at risk and for the welfare of youth.

She has been to various places as a resource person to give talks to the children, youth and the community people. "I have the experience of organizing camps, seminars at different places under my leadership capacity. I have written articles for various magazines in Konkani and other languages."

During the lockdown, Nirma was very active in reaching out to many migrants in Bengaluru.

She was awarded the SAMAJA RATANA AWARD 2017 for her outstanding contribution to education and social work.

"I got a new life because of Nirma Akka who helped through Nirma for the kidney transplantation," says Lalbi. Basamma from Bijapur says, "Nirma amma is a person who helped me get government support for my son’s medical expenses."

Her classmate, Sr Mariama says, "Nirma always had a soft corner for the poor and never neglected them even during her college days at Roshni." Mahesh another classmate of Nirma's says, "Whilst we searched for jobs in MNCs after we finished our MSW, Nirma wanted to serve in the social sector."

Nirma's ambition is to start an orphanage.