Gender Equality India Project #25232

End Child Marriage Through Education

by Shadhika Project Inc

Project Report | Dec 14, 2023
2023 in Review at Shadhika

By Monica O'Reilly | Development Associate

In 2023, Shadhika faced a challenging year that demanded resilience, strength, and perseverance. Despite a difficult fundraising environment, where fewer than 2% of philanthropic donations in the U.S. reach organizations dedicated to empowering women and girls, Shadhika stayed steadfast in our commitment. Our mission, centered on using education as a catalyst for women and girls in India to break free from chronic disenfranchisement and pursue self-determination, remained unwavering. We are thrilled to highlight the achievements we've made this year.

In the course of this year, Shadhika achieved significant milestones through various engaging and successful fundraising initiatives. Firstly, in April and May, we conducted our inaugural Spring for Her campaign, aimed at backing 80 new young women Scholars from four distinct community-led partner organizations in India. Thanks to the unwavering support of our dedicated followers, we surpassed 97% of our $68,000 goal. This achievement enables young women from some of India's most underserved communities to receive financial aid throughout their college education, English tutoring, a technology package, and inclusion in a vibrant peer group of Shadhika Scholars and Alumni.

Secondly, in November and December, Shadhika actively participated in Giving Tuesday and Colorado Gives Day, resulting in an impressive fundraising outcome. We not only met but exceeded our $20,000 goal by raising $47,760, a remarkable feat attributable to the generosity of our supporters. These funds will play a crucial role in sustaining Shadhika’s partners, who continue to demonstrate exemplary leadership in their efforts to uplift some of the most marginalized communities in India.

Additionally, Shadhika forged valuable alliances with new corporate partners! Elsmere Education has committed to sponsoring a Shadhika Scholar for the next three years. Pajamasutra has pledged to donate 5% of all retail sales to Shadhika from September to December. Additionally, Mantraband is contributing to our cause by selling "when she leads, change follows" bracelets and donating $5 from each purchase to Shadhika. We are genuinely thrilled to have the backing of these businesses.

Lastly 2023 for Shadhika marked significant programmatic expansion by welcoming two new partner organizations in India, namely the Center for Women and Girls (CWG) and Faith Foundation, alongside the addition of 80 new Shadhika Scholars. Based in Manipur, CWG comprises a dedicated team of young women and men from diverse ethnic backgrounds committed to promoting gender equity, child rights, peace processes, and livelihoods. Their engagement spans across women, men, children, youth, village-level institutions, and government departments.

Faith Foundation, situated in Shillong, Meghalaya, is led by a small interdisciplinary team of young women professionals from the Khasi tribe, embracing a shared leadership model. Their mission revolves around empowering children, young women, and communities in Meghalaya to assert their rights against abuse and exploitation. Shadhika eagerly anticipates the opportunity to continue sharing the advocacy and achievements of these organizations!

As we set our sights on 2024, Shadhika is committed to prioritizing the support of our existing partners and Scholars, while steadfastly adhering to our theory of change and principles of growth. The lessons learned in 2023 underscore the critical importance of standing up for our beliefs and actively advocating for gender justice and girls' education, emphasizing that the present moment demands unwavering action and commitment.

Thank you to our supporters and well-wishers.

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Aug 28, 2023
When She Leads, Change Follow: 2022-23 in Review

By Monica O'Reilly | Development Associate

At Shadhika, the year 2022-23 has unfolded as a tale of resilience during times of unpredictability, showcasing an unwavering dedication to surmounting the obstacles encountered by young girls and women in India.

Reflections from our 2022-23 Annual Report illustrate how trusting in grassroots, feminist leadership, investing in the individual girl, and cultivating allyship creates changes within the lives of girls and their communities. In 2022, Shadhika granted $105,00 to 9 Support for Success partner organizations who served 11,780 girls and young women across India. Ninety-nine percent of girls under 18 years of age served by Shadhika’s partners delayed their early marriages. Additionally, $89,614 in scholarship funds was dedicated to supporting 76 Shadhika Scholars pursuing their college degrees. Ninety-four percent of the young women in the Shadhika Scholars program who were set to graduate in 2022 did so on time. Lastly, through Shadhika’s Men Against Gender Based Violence Initiative, 80% of men and boys who participated reported a better understanding of gender based violence and 56% of men and boys reported positive behavioral and attitudinal changes.

This past year and a half has also shown that now more than ever it is crucial that we prioritize initiatives and programs that advance gender justice. The economic and financial uncertainty brought on in the aftermath of the pandemic has impacted philanthropic giving globally. Adding to this, only 1.9% of philanthropic donations in the U.S. make it to organizations dedicated to women and girls. Amidst these challenges, Shadhika knows we must resist a patriarchal mindset of scarcity and instead embrace a mindset of abundance through approaching philanthropy with vigor, passion, and patience.

The most important thing you can do right now is support the education of girls and young women from the most underserved communities in India. Don’t forget to mark your calendars for September 18-21 to get your donation to Shadhika matched 50% up to $50 through GlobalGiving’s Little by Little matching campaign. No donation is too small to make a difference in the lives of these girls and young women in India!

Check out our 2022-23 Annual Impact Report to find complete descriptions of each program and outcomes from 2022.

To learn more about the impact of your support and Shadhika’s work, take a look at Shadhika’s Blog where you’ll find interviews with Scholars, photos from the 2023 Leaders for Change Summits, and insights from Shadhika’s Executive Director.

Many thanks to our supporters and well-wishers.

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May 2, 2023
Meet Shadhika's New Partners!

By Monica O'Reilly | Development Associate

Shadhika’s theory of change is centered around education as the most effective vehicle for women and girls to move out of chronic disenfranchisement and towards self-determination. Shadhika believes in investing from adolescence to adulthood. We do this by supporting grassroots feminist organizations who provide after-school and in-school programming for girls ages 10 to 18, including academic tutoring, rights education, and skills building in the areas of leadership, self-advocacy, and emotional and physchial health. These organizations incubate hyperlocalized solutions to address the unique challenges preventing young women from succeeding in school. This year we are thrilled to announce two new partner organizations in India:

Center for Women and Girls (CWG) was founded to promote the rights of the women and youth from tibal communities in the foothills of Manipur, an Indian state that borders Myanmar. CWG's work revolves around gender equity, child rights, reace processes, and livelihoods. Recently, CWG started a girl-center, character building project using Frisbee as a medium to enhance self-confidence and leadership. Learn more about Center for Women and Girls.

Faith Foundation is located in Shillong, Meghalaya, and is led by a small interdisciplinary team of young women activists and service providers from the Khasi tribe who adopt a shared leadership model. They united to defend the rights of children in nearby Khasi communities, focusining on raising awareness to prevent abuse and exploitation of children, on promoting women's livelihoods, and on developing youth leadership in rural villages. Learn more about Faith Foundation.

We are excited to be working together with CWG and Faith Foundation to invest in the transformative power of girls and promote gender justice in underserved communities across India. Stay tuned for more on the powerful work by these organizations.

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