Aalochana, which means critical review, was set up as a non-profit resource centre for women. Our point of departure has been to re-examine and re-evalutate our lives, our experiences, our skills and our beliefs. Through our research and documentation of all aspects of women`s lives, especially of poor and low caste women, women`s groups and organisations we wish to redefine our lives and visualise a future which will be emancipatory for all.
Our journey since the inception in 1989 to 1997 has been a mixed one. There have been moments of elation as we successfully completed our first project and moments of despair and dejection as some did not even take shape. Nevertheless, we have evolved and grown with confidence to be considered as a major women`s resource centre in and around Pune.
Though we are primarily a resource centre, our activities have over the years grown in many directions all leading ultimately towards our vision.
Aalochana`s main objectives are: To systematically collect and provide information on personal aspects of women`s lives; To document and research various aspects of women`s lives; To disseminate the results of our research and documentation through pamphlets, booklets, posters, slides, audio and video cassettes,films, lectures, seminars and camps; To provide a congenial forum where activists, researchers, students, journalists and all those concerned with women`s issues can meet and discuss matters of common concern; To network with women`s groups, libraries and like-minded documentation and research centres at the regional, national and international levels; To undertake translation work from English and Indian regional languages into Marathi and vice-versa; To set up a library and resource centre which is easily accessible to women and where they can meet, read, discuss, work and take books home.