India trains first transgender rescue squad
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In Kolhapur, India, the District Disaster Management Authority recently trained fifteen transwomen as a dedicated disaster management and rescue team.
Prasad Sankpal, District Disaster Management Officer, initiated the program, building on the success of an existing all-women rescue unit called ‘Aapda Sakhi’. The transwomen, associated with the Maitri NGO, received training in rescue swimming, boat operation, lifesaving techniques, first aid, and CPR over several training modules beginning in May.
The initiative aims to provide opportunities for transgender people and change societal perceptions, as many face discrimination and limited access to employment. Mayuri Alvekar, founder of Maitri NGO, has already expanded the program to the cities of Dhule and Parbhani. Participants like Suhasini Devmane, Maharashtra’s first transgender tourist guide, previously concealed their identities due to fear of losing work. While the team has already assisted in responding to road accidents independently, members acknowledge ongoing societal alienation.
Shivani Gajabar, a social work student, notes that she still faces isolation even in university, but the rescue team has begun to mend relationships with her family. The Kolhapur authority plans to expand the team’s training to cover a wider range of disasters, including wildlife rescues, and is working to provide the volunteers with paid positions as home guards.
