{"id":44,"date":"2025-09-04T21:59:48","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T21:59:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsitesawcc.local\/?page_id=44"},"modified":"2026-03-16T15:03:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T19:03:06","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sawcc-ccfsa.ca\/EN\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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About<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Mission and Values<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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SAWCC is a feminist<\/strong> women\u2019s centre that welcomes women and their families from all over the world, regardless of origin, status, age, religion, ethnicity, gender expression or sexual orientation.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We believe in empowerment<\/strong> and that every woman has the right to take charge of her life. Our goal is to support support women and their families through services, accompaniment and community building.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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We also believe that real change comes from collective action<\/strong>. That\u2019s why SAWCC is actively involved in community activism. We participate in protests, marches, rallies and campaigns that matter to the women we serve.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our work is guided by the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)<\/strong> and the Canadian and Quebec Charters of Human Rights.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SAWCC\u2019s History<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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The South Asian Women\u2019s Community Centre (SAWCC) was founded in 1981. A year earlier, a group of nine South Asian women in Montreal had come together to talk about the lack of support for women from their backgrounds.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

They wanted to create a space where South Asian women could feel supported and empowered. From the beginning, SAWCC was more than a service centre, it was built on feminism and sisterhood. The work started with addressing violence against women and that commitment remains strong today.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

SAWCC was also one of the first spaces to bring together women from all parts of South Asia in Montreal. While the Centre has grown and changed with the times, its core values have stayed the same.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Our Team<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Our Executive Committee is made up of volunteer members of the Centre who give their time, energy and care to support the work and values of SAWCC.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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PRESIDENT<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Indu Krishnamurthy<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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VICE PRESIDENT<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Samantha Lee Chew<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SECRETARY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mela Sarkar<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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TREASURER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sema Burney<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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PUBLICATIONS SEC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Jennifer Chew<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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PROGRAM SEC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dolores Chew<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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YOUTH REP<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Deepti Obusri Viknesh<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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PUBLIC RELATIONS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Vrinda Narain<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SENIOR REPRESENTATIVE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Diane Shea<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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STAFF<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The team at the Centre is made up of full time and part-time community workers, each of whom speak multiple languages and brings the diverse skills and experience to serve our communities in the best possible way.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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COMMUNITY WORKER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Anipriya Gopinathan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH TAMIL<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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COMMUNITY WORKER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Parisa Karimi Molan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH FARSI\/DARI\/TURKISH<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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CENTRE COORDINATOR<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ghazala Munawar<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH URDU HINDI PUNJABI<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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CENTRE MANAGER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Juvaria Yasser<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH URDU HINDI PUNJABI<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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COMMUNITY WORKER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Shipra Barua<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH BANGLA<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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COMMUNITY WORKER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sivambikai Sivamoorthy<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH TAMIL SINGHALISE<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SAWAI COORDINATOR<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Panchi Chakma<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH BANGLA<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SAWAI WORKER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mangaie Saravanabavan<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH URDU HINDI PUNJABI<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SAWAI WORKER & BOOKKEEPER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Iram Qadeer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH URDU HINDI PUNJABI<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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SAY WORKER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Thanvi Garigipati<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

FRENCH ENGLISH<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Funding<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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SAWCC\u2019s work is made possible through the generous support of:<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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