Breaking barriers, saving lives: Transgender volunteers in Kolhapur step into disaster response

Kolhapur: Rajaram lake in Kolhapur has become the backdrop for a subtle change. Eight transgender persons with community-run ‘Maitri’ on Thursday completed their two-day training in flood disaster management here — learning to rescue lives and, in the process, asserting themselves as equal stakeholders in the society.Kolhapur, a district prone to recurring floods, has witnessed devastating inundations over the years, especially in 2005, 2019 and 2021.Prasad Sankpal, district head of the disaster management department, led the initiative to train transgender individuals. He began working with the community members during the Covid-19 lockdown, when their livelihoods were disrupted, coordinating ration supplies and financial aid through various organisations. “During that time, I realised that members of the transgender community possess a unique combination of resilience and emotional sensitivity. That’s when the idea emerged, to channel these strengths into disaster response,” he said.Although the idea was first proposed in 2023, initial hesitation among the participants did not allow it to take off. The training programme at Rajaram lake, however, marked a turning point. The training covered a range of critical skills like inflating rescue boats, attaching and operating engines, executing water rescues and administering first aid.For the participants, the impact of the training goes far beyond skill development. It is about reclaiming identity and reshaping public perception. Shivani Gajbar, a 30-year-old trainee, said, “When I joined university, people had many stereotypes about us. They thought we were aggressive or confrontational. But over time, those views began to change.”Gajbar emphasised that the decision to join disaster management training was not just about challenging those stereotypes. “We want to contribute meaningfully to society. What greater service is there than saving lives? We also hope to inspire others, men and women alike, to step forward and help,” Gajbar added.Another participant, Mayuri Alvekar, said it was an opportunity to serve the public. “Transgender people are often ignored, and getting such opportunities would help change how others view them. The administration has consistently supported the community. The Kolhapur administration has encouraged and helped us to join the mainstream, and we no longer feel insecure,” Alvekar said.Kolhapur’s disaster management model has steadily evolved over the years. Selected as a pilot district by Centre in 2018 for training volunteers, it initially built an all-male team known as Apada Mitra. In 2019, Sankpal and his team expanded the initiative with an all-women unit, Apada Sakhi.With the inclusion of transgender volunteers, the district’s force, now numbering around 2,400, has become a truly diverse and representative unit. “I now feel that our team is genuinely inclusive. Each step has brought us closer to building a community-based disaster response system that leaves no one behind,” Sankpal added.