Empower 5000 drop out Adolescent Girls in Lucknow

Community volunteers developed in slums have emerged as  community change facilitators for adolescent girls empowerment and community development processes.32 years old and 8^th passed Anju,s  life was limited to domestic works only in Purvidinkhera slum of Lucknow. After becoming community volunteers, she participated in training programme and mentoring sessions conducted by Sarathi Development Foundation with GlobalGiving partnership support. She gained recognition as  a community change maker due to her work like supporting drop out girls for their enrolment in schools, mobilising parents for sending girls to schools, postponing marriages before legal age, providing feedback to government service providers on community issue like drinking water, need of toilets, mother and child health services. She facilitated re-enrolment of 9 adolescent girls in school and postponement of their early marriage. Her role is recognised by the government  also in 2018 when she was selected as Urban Social and Health Activist known as USHA by the  Department of Health. She is happy with this change in her life and work for her community. She thanks to the Sarathi, project and its supporters for providing path to bring this change.

204 community volunteers like Anju  have  been developed under the project in 80 slums. During the reporting period, they have facilitated re-enrolment of 69 adolescent girls in schools for continuing their education, oriented 787 girls on menstrual hygiene management and access to sanitary pads, facilitated 592 girls for financial literacy and opening their accounts in bank. These volunteers have emerged as a link between community members and public service providers like schools, elected local ward members, health and nutrition workers. It has brought benefits like installation of water supply systems, repairing of defunct hand pumps, construction of toilets.

Sarathi is enhancing capacities of slum community volunteers through regular supportive supervision, community meetigns, recognition of their work,knowledge updation,  training, and their  linkages with government schemes and service providers. We express our sincere thanks to GlobalGiving and supporters for continued support to bring impact in poverty stricken slums and disadvantaged adolescent girls.