SEWA Academy is our members' university. It is the focal point for workers' education and capacity-building. The Academy stresses the self-development of the worker in order that her talents may be encouraged and developed, and she develops self-confidence and leadership skills. It is also the means by which SEWA unites its large and diverse membership through common ideology, thus building our movement - the SEWA movement.
Towards developing a common understanding of this movement, our vision and strategy, this year SEWA Academy focused on process of mutual learning by sharing between SEWA union leaders. These grassroot level 'aagewans' were elected as their local union representatives in SEWA's elections in July 1999. Five hundred of these elected representatives or 'pratinidhis' meet every month in small groups to share ideas and experiences and learn of and from each other.
This new educational process is in addition to last year's members' education programme, also developed with Academy's special input, 20,000 women participated in the workers' education which covered issues such as organising, our role in the economy, women's movement and values of the SEWA movement. In addition to these educational programmes, SEWA Academy activities are centred on
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