Who We Are
South Asian Workers Center (SAWC), Boston, is a women-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization serving mainly our immigrant and worker communities in Greater Boston.
Our primary goal is assisting women and girls in Boston area public housing to more easily integrate into US economic and social life.
Our work spans economic empowerment, workers’ rights advocacy, sustaining immigrant women’s support networks, mental health and wellness education, political mobilization, and building solidarity through educational activities for children and youth.
SAWC was awarded the Community Partnership Award by Asian Women for Health, and was nominated for the 2022 Community Service and Activism Award by the Eastern Ecological Society.
Our Mission
To help low-income South Asian women, girls, and communities thrive by connecting to each other and to resources.
Meet Our Team
Jyoti Sinha
President/Founder/ Director of Programs
Jyoti is the founder and president of the South Asian Workers’ Center-Boston. She directs SAWC's programs and research based on the needs of the varied neighborhoods we operate closely in. Being one of the Board members, she is involved in overall governance and designing the training modules and workshops within the immigrant’s community. Her focus on women's social and economic equity arises from an intersection of her own experiences and the lives of people she’s met through the South Asian community. She believes that the immigrant story can be a very shared and powerful experience.
She is also a mother of two young children, who provide her with the strength and reason to do everything she does for the Center. She hopes that as they and their generation grow up, they will become the main beneficiaries and torchbearers of SAWC's mission to create a compassionate, connected, and communicative space for all--particularly--those who need it the most.
Dr. Sinha teaches with the Sociology Department and the Honors College at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
Laxmi Timilsina
General Secretary
Laxmi has been a longtime member of SAWC. She is a Biomedical professional with leadership and excellent time management skills. She has a Masters in English from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and has secured certificate courses in PC and network support specialties from Bunker hill community college.
Nilofer Yesmin/ Jackie
Treasurer
Nilofer immigrated to the US from Bangladesh in 2006 to start a new life, embracing a new country as her home. Belonging to a family that owns a restaurant in Dubai, she has had a keen interest in catering and engaging in a cooking cooperative. She is also responsible for outreach within the Bangladeshi community at the Rindge tower. Nelofer has an associate degree from Chittagong, and graduated from Quincy college with a biotechnology GMP certification. She is a mother of three beautiful daughters.
Nigar Kolia
Operations Team
Nigar works at Whole Foods Bakery and serves as a Database Officer. Having completed an IT course from Just-A-Start, she is eager to apply her technical and operational skills to support the center’s growth.
Shahida
Coordinator and Auxiliary Aide
Shahida is a dedicated leader known for her strong teamwork and communication skills. She works at TJ Maxx and proudly represents her Bangladeshi heritage.
Manikala Rai
Program Assistant, Everett
Poonam B.
Member, Everett
Shamim Akhtar
Events Coordinator
Hasina Sheikh
Indian Coordinator
Riaz Begum
Area Manager, Cambridge
Farjana Rahman
Bangladeshi Coordinator
Tabassum Naveed
Quincy Coordinator
Hazra Africawala
Sales, Events fundraising
Idor
Field and Gofer
Dr. Soumya Ganapathy
Medical Professional for healthcare programsr
Farah
Haitian coordinator
Nasiraben Kathawala
Educational Program Assistant
Bina Padusaini
Somerville/ Cambridge Coordinator
Rama Adhikari
Programs, Data Equity and educational project
Janaki Blum, PhD
Operations, Social media Consultant
Indu Verma
Wellbeing Consultant
Mona Mandal
Technology
Our Board
Sister Marie Tess
Massachusetts Interfaith Worker Justice, Boston- MA.
Somnath Mukherji
Association for India's Development (Boston), MA
Abhi Adhikari
Venture Development Center,
UMass, Boston, MA.
Roshanara Begum
Resident of Rindge Avenue, Cambridge. MA
Jyoti Sinha
Faculty, UMass Boston, MA.
Our Volunteers
Vaishnavi Shetty
Accountant and Operations
Our Advisors
Kamal Bawa
Professor Emeritus
UMass-Boston, MA.
Founder & President , Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE). Bangalore, India.
Rajini Srikanth
Professor, Dean of Faculty UMass Boston. MA
Smitha Radhakrishnan
Professor, Sociology
Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA.
Gowri Vijaykumar
Associate Professor, Sociology
Brandeis University Waltham, MA.
Our Partners
Many of our clinics and events are possible by grants and support from these organizations.
