Noticing the increasing incidents of domestic violence in the Triangle’s South Asian community, five women came together in 2000 to help survivors.
What started as an organization run by volunteers Vandana Shah, Sudha Shreeniwas, Shivali Shah, Aaiysha Khursheed and Susan George blossomed into the only nonprofit in North Carolina equipped to provide culturally specific crisis case management services to victims of domestic violence in the South Asian community.
Sangeetha Menon,
executive director of Kiran
In 2008, this informal group became Kiran Inc. Led by Vandana Shah, Ritu Kaur, Vasudha Gupta and Dr. Amy Weil, the nonprofit has continued to empower victims of domestic violence across North Carolina.
“Having lived in the South Asian community, I have seen firsthand the impact of domestic violence,” said Sangeetha Menon, executive director of Kiran. “It’s just amazing how much of a difference one organization can make in the lives of so many survivors and victims.”
Many survivors have recently moved to the United States; therefore, language barriers and ignorance are often unfamilar with resources the U.S government provides to survivors are typical.
With the additional fears of losing their residency status and the cultural stigma of a shaky marriage, survivors often suffer in silence. This is where Kiran comes in.
“We understand the limitations that South Asian survivors face, which somebody who is a citizen here or has grown up here may not understand,” said Menon.
Kiran provides survivors with free and confidential services, including access to education, financial support, driving lessons, translation assistance and secure housing.
“We are holding the hands and the spirit of the survivor all through the process,” Menon said, “assisting her with legal referrals, making sure she is connected with the right immigration attorneys, and really advocating for these clients in a very deliberate way.”
Contributed photo
The most important of Kiran’s services is the volunteer-run, 24-hour crisis hotline, she says.
Any time, day or night, volunteers take calls from frightened survivors, calming them down, speaking with them in their native language and connecting them with immediate help.
Uma Sankar, a crisis hotline volunteer, got involved with Kiran when she saw their booth at Cary Diwali in 2008. A relative of hers had faced a domestic abuse situation, did not know where to turn, and could have benefited greatly from the services that Kiran provides.
“I think when you are volunteering for hotline calls, and a potential client calls you, and they are able to have someone to listen without any judgment … that helps them tremendously,” she said.
There are many success stories at Kiran. One client was referred to Kiran after escaping her home with very little. She lived in a shelter for a few months, but now has her own business and a safe place to stay.
Another client left home with her small child and little money. Kiran was able to reach out to one of its partners, a shelter where this client was able to stay for several months. Moreover, Kiran assisted this client with her legal case, gave her financial support, and three years later, this same client has a job, apartment and car and is living comfortably.
Kiran holds a fundraising walk every October, which is National Domestic Violence Month. The team is currently brainstorming innovative ways to conduct its 2020 walkathon.
The nonprofit has built on its success in the Triangle, and in 2018, Menon established the first Kiran Volunteer Chapter in Charlotte.
As there is a large South Asian community there, the Charlotte chapter has been a crucial expansion. Thanks to word of mouth recommendations and outreach efforts by Kiran, the nonprofit has seen an increase in calls from South Asian victims in the area. Now, Charlotte volunteers can easily connect survivors there with needed services.
Recently, the team at Kiran has been working vigilantly to combat the challenges posed by COVID-19. Domestic violence increases whenever families spend more time together, experts say. Added to that are financial stress, lack of privacy and increased demands of children at home and out of school.
The nonprofit has pivoted quickly by remotely transferring their office line to another line so that no calls would be missed. Kiran staff also identified financially vulnerable clients, due to potentially lost wages from COVID-19, and offered these clients emergency financial assistance and support.
“The number one need of this moment is donations,” Menon said. She also encourages individuals to help by bringing awareness to potential victims about the resources and services that Kiran provides.
“This is collective work. Building up somebody’s life is collective work, and we are very thankful for our partnerships and supporters.”
Those interested in volunteering can sign up at kiraninc.org.
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