Empowering adolescent girls Through Training and Education

Purpose:

In development process girls are kept behind. We can observe that treatment to girls and boys are different, girls education is not a priority for parents and society. Majority of the girls dropout from education at 7^th 8^th std only, and girls are married in young age.  

Empowering the girls is the only solution we see that need to be broken the vicious circle.  And empowering girls include awareness of family members and the society at large.

To empower girls, we are arranging series of training programs at village level  & institutional level. 

We have to educate the girls to improve their inner strength and qualities, i.e. leadership, communication skills. Self-esteem etc.

Introduction :

Here, it is important to note the historical developments in this region. Marathwada region was under the Nizam rule during pre-independence period. Certain Islamic customs were integrated in this community after a long Islamic rule and unfortunately, this assimilation has resulted in more restrictions on women. So, women are kept within four walls of the house, are married off in early childhood and used only as additional labour. A strong class nexus behind women’s deprivation is also evident.

Large number of young girls are married in Parbhani dist this rate is 48%. And due to early marriage, girls and new born baby face serious health problem .

As many, 49 villages in 90, have school up to 5^th and 7^th std. here 30-40% girls are pushed out of education system.   Then parents have no option than to marry the girls. Like this girls in vicious circle. 

Empowering the girls is the only solution we see that need to be broken the vicious circle.  And empowering girls include awareness of family members and the society at large.

• Majority of the girls are anemic. 65% girls have HB below 10.  So we need to educate then about nutrition and balance diet and better health practices.
• To empower girls, we are arranging series of training programs at village & institutional level.
• We have to educate the girls to improve their inner strength and qualities, i.e. leadership, communication skills. Self-esteem etc,
• We need to discuss with girls about their goal, life vision. We should educate them for seeing their vision, set their goal.  
• We will keep books box, to read when they can.

OBJECTIVES

• To create awareness among adolescent girls about their health, education and overall development.
• To make them conscious about social structures defining and controlling their role and position in the society
• To generate awareness among parents and the community at large regarding development of girls as equal to the development of boys.
• To make them realize about their obligations towards society i.e. environment, social hygiene, village level problem.
• To make them understand their responsibilities.
• To bring out cultural development through different program / training.
• To increase their confidence.  Improvement in study, and continue their education.

Project Strategies:

The project aims at providing training and developmental opportunities to adolescent girls between the age group of 12-18 to make them capable and conscious women of tomorrow. The goal is to start the process of empowerment of girls.

We are going to appoint “Village level motivator/trainers”, one for 3 villages. She will visit the village regularly (each village weekly) will form a group of adolescent girls of the village. conduct their individual meetings & also conduct home visits of the girls. In regular visit she will meet the parents of the girl, and monitor the changes in the girl, behavioral and other changes.

We will invite several resource persons for conducting training at village level. Where all girls and even their parents can get benefited.

A team of doctor and Nutrition specialist will visit the village twice a year. Doctor will check each and every girl, and will advise treatments accordingly.

Nutrition specialist will discuss with the girls about “Best diet practices” and also will give demo for some recipes like making paneer out of soybean. she also will discuss about consumption of vegetables, producing vegetables at home, making kitchen garden etc.

 Institutional level training :

We have planned some training program at institutional level. It is all for motivation to the girls. We also arrange “get together” for all girls. In batches of 100 girls at a time. Inviting 10 girls of a village and 10 villages at a time. (we have to conduct such get together 10 times to cover all girls of the village) We invite all 100 girls of the village for get together.

We have a special training for “leadership for girls”. We select 100 girls from total group as girls. And we try to develop “leadership qualities” among these girls, by imparting best training to them.

In any village there is no provision of receiving books to read, So,we have to provide a “book-box” containing 250 -300 books, to each village.

Expected outcomes:

1. Enhanced opportunities for personality development to adolescent girls in 50 -100 villages

2. Increased level of awareness among girls about social structures and issues that shape their lives.

3. Increased level of awareness among parents and wider community in general regarding development of girls as equal to development of boys

4. Reduce dropout from education and all girls will complete education up to 12^th std.  

5. Improve enrollment in colleges for higher study – skills development. (current rate is below 10%)

6. Increased “book reading habit” of 90% girls.

7.  Most of the girls should be able to speak properly- expressing self.  increased smartness and leadership qualities in general.

EVALUATION

There will be quarterly progress reports. Every year we will have an evaluation internally to major or to assess where we are going well.

At the end of the project period, (3 years) we will get this project evaluated by the outsider expert of the field.

1. 1000 girls will be empowered.
2. All girls will continue education, no dropout from education up to 10th std.
3. Girls will be well trained to face their problem, they will be healthy educated.

Socio Economic Development Trust (SEDT) a NGO, (registered under Societies Act and Bombay public trust Act in 1976) We intended to work with the objective of making a difference to the lives of people. SEDT is based at Kerwadi village, Palam Taluka, District Parbhani. 

We initiated our work in the year 1980, with providing a shelter, home for the children in need of care and protection.  

SEDT believes that our role is to act as facilitators for the empowerment of the people.

At present we are working with following projects.

• Dreamland: is home for the children in need of care and protection. We are serving to 100 children under this program.
• Child line:  its 24 hrs services for the children in need of care and protection.
• One stop center:    All required facilities and help being extended to any woman in distress at one place. 
• Family counseling center:  Counseling and legal support to the women in distress.
• Link workers project, & Prevention and treatments in HIV for MSN community. (Men sex with men) in the district.
• Women empowerment