By Akhilesh Tewari | Project Leader
Recalling her being out of school and parents decision about marriage, Rehnuma, 15 years old adolescent girl living in Barfkhana slum, is happy with changes she has witnesses due to project intervention supported by Global Giving. She was enrolled in community resource centre for life skills and girl’s friendly opportunities in April 2015.She learnt about risks of early marriage and also gain the confidence to express her issues desire. She discussed with counsellor and other girls participating in life skill centre and group meetings about her choices including rejoining of school and not marrying at this stage. She also communicated to her parents about her desires. Counsellor and community volunteer visited her house and motivated her parents. It resulted into reenrolment of Rehnuma in and postponing her marriage. She feels happy with this new pathway of her life.
Rehnuma is not the only adolescent girl who faces such life challenges in slums. There are many suffering in multiple ways such as early marriage, confinement to domestic works, limited access to formal education, restricted life choices in given social, economic and cultural prejudices. The project carries a mix of behavioural change communication, basic life skills, individual & collective planning, convergence with services required for empowerment of adolescent girls in poverty stricken slums in Lucknow district of Uttar Pradesh in India.
It has directly impacted 695 adolescent girls and 1800 families through life skills centres, adolescent girls groups, behavioural change communication, health camp and linkages with government service provisions in 15 slums. 49 adolescent girls have received livelihood skills and 47 are mainstreamed with formal education. While directly engaging with adolescent girls especially school drop outs, 33 community volunteers, 30 adolescent girls groups and 18 mothers groups have been developed in 15 slums for behaviour change communication, feedback and convergence to improve conditions of adolescent girls. Key areas of life skills include communication, decision making, self expression, participatory planning, aspirations mapping and roles, physical, emotional and mental changes during adolescence age, reproductive health,nutrtion,hygienic behaviours, girls rights, entitlements & service provisions, financial and legal aspects, menstrual hygiene management.
We are grateful to all our donros and supporters for helping vulnerable adolscent girls, their families and communities and building their future.
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