Empower girls like Priti in slums in Pune, India

This year we have started in some new communities. One such community is a slum of a poor Sikh tribe. Here. according to the elders and their traditions, none of the girls are allowed to study past 8th standard (14 years) when they would normally be married.

We have two main activities in this slum. The first are daily study support classes for the girls so they can actually keep up with what's being caught in their often overcrowded classes. The second is a regular meeting of the girls groups, where the girls learn about their right to education, their situation as young women in India, their constitutional rights, discrimination, violence, and many other things that they would not otherwise be able to have frank conversations about. 

The girls groups help to give the girls confidence, so they can aim for much more than they previously imagined. 

Here we asked, 'who's going to study until 12th standard?' (the equivalent of college or sixth form). All the hands shot up. This wouldn't have been imaginable three months ago. 

But it's going to be a long road ahead. Counselling the parents, working with the teachers, empowering the girls to stand up for themselves, and each other. We've seen from the other slums where we've worked that it's not easy. But it's possible.

I look forward to continuing to update you on our girls. Thank you so much for continuing to help us. 

This month we have Kajal talking about her own experience of the project over the last couple of years. Thank you as always for continuing to support our girls. It means a lot to us, and to them.

"I am Kajal. I have migrated from Madhya Pradesh. I stay in Rajiv Gandhi nagar Pune. My father went to school only for eight years. I have an older brother. My father is working for a tailor. My mother works as a domestic help. When I was in 6th class, I couldn’t read and write. I was not bothered by this fact as I was engaged in our house work, like washing utensils. I was behind in study in class. My brother was not helping me in study. When I entered 8th standard, I was still in same place about reading and writing. In our school, there are no exams up to 8th standard, nobody including teachers, bothered about me not reading and writing in 8th standard.

I started study with (Green Tara Foundation) GTF in August 2017 .One day, when I realized I can’t read in class, I felt very ashamed about me not trying to develop myself. Some friends of mine use to go to GTF for study help, I started to go there and in three months, I started to understand and read and write. I could read and write now. In class, I was feeling can I cope up with this? But GTF class helped me by keeping a personal attention on my study.

I overcame on my own wrong perspectives about myself. I overcome on my low confidence and low self-esteem. When I learned to read and write it developed my interest in studies and I started to enjoy studying, reading and writing. If I had not got the opportunity to attend GTF class, I never would have passed of 10th standard, maybe I never would get higher education, too. I passed this board exam which would have been very difficult for me. I passed it because of GTF.

My parents are happy about my progress. I am feeling secured about my future. I will complete my higher education and earn money for me and my family.

Thank you for giving opportunity to share my thoughts."

Bhagyashali, 17, is from the Vishrantwadi slum area in Pune. She is one of 6 sisters. One of Bhagyashali’s older sisters ran away from the family home as she wanted to get married to a boy from a different caste and her parents did not approve. After her sister ran away Bhagyashali’s father became very mistrustful and stopped allowing her or her sisters to go out of the house. The community also isolated the family and stopped inviting them to functions. Bhagyashali’s father insisted she drop out of school.

When the project social worker visited the household, Bhagyashali explained what had happened. She was very upset and wanted to continue her education. The project visited the local school and spoke with the headmaster about the situation. The team also spoke with Bhagyashali’s father. They were able to convince the school to re-enrol Bhagyashali in the midterm and convinced her father to let her return to school again.

Though being out of school for two years Bhagyashali is doing well and catching up with her studies. She is performing at the top of her class. Regarding her situation, she said “my dream of going again, after two year gap, in school is fulfilled”. Many thanks to all the projects supporters who support young girls like Bhaghyashali.

This year we began working in 3 new slums. Kajal comes from one of these.

Most people in this slum come from the Mang or Matang community who were traditionally regarded as 'untouchable', 'ritually impure' and unable to do dignified work. That has changed somewhat these days and the men of the community are engaged in different professions, using the money that they earn to slowly convert the haphazard slum housing into 'pukka' houses. The situation has changed little for the women however, who still remain trapped in a cycle of illiteracy, early marriage, and domestic servitude with their in-laws.

'I was just trapped in my house', says Kajal. 'My mother and two older brothers thought that was the best thing, so I dropped out of school and stayed in the house. I would do the housework, and then just sit around bored all day. I didn't know anything else.

Then, staff from the Green Tara Foundation came. They explained about the girls groups, and the importance of educating girls to my mother, and she let me attend the group. I've been there ever since!'

Kajal is 17, in 10th standard, and naturally bright, and though the girls groups have no official leaders, she speaks confidently about the problems they face, and encourages other girls to speak up too. She comes across as a natural leader. 

'We want to stop child marriage here. That's our aim. And I want to go to college, and for other girls to be able to go to college too. They shouldn't have to drop out like I had to. 

Now I live my life with freedom. Thank you!'

Thank you for helping girls like Kajal. We couldn't do it without your support.

Green Tara Foundation began another project cycle in July, working closely with the programme manager to plan activities for the next year. The i

The project continues to offer education and livelihoods training to adolescent girls in 8 slums across Pune.  The girls, with some struggle, are able to convince their parents to let them attened these trainings. After building some trust with the girls in these areas, the project staff are able to begin talking about the difficult topics of gender equality and the treatment of girls.

Here are some photos from the most recent gender awareness training. 

This year we have also decided to start running gender awareness training for the boys, and look forward to sharing those stories with you as well.

Thank you so much for continuing to support our work.