Lifeskill,Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India

Centre for Women’s Development and Research
Life Skill and Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India (14480)
Update- September 2017

‘Tamil Nadu: Schoolgirl on period kills herself after teacher scolds her over stained uniform, bench. The seventh grader's teacher allegedly yelled at her when she asked for permission to go to the restroom, after her menstrual blood stained her uniform and bench.

A 12-year-old school girl whose teacher allegedly reprimanded her when her menstrual blood stained her uniform and bench, committed suicide in Tamil Nadu's Palayamkottai.’ News 29^th August 2017.   This shocking new once again reinforces the importance of Sexual Reproductive services and Rights-SRHR, education for adolescent girls and school teachers.  That should be made part of the school curriculum.  We have been advocating and lobbying to make SRHR as part of school curriculum.  On 23rd May 2017 we have organized a rally and human chain to pressurize the government to provide SRHR services and education to adolescents.

Last 3 months we have been busy with our activities particularly providing life skill and SRHR education.   One of the reasons is the increase in the number of abuse and violence against girls. Another reason is the decreasing age of menarche, now girls reach puberty by 10-11 years of age.  The important thing is we have created an app ‘Snehidhi’ in Tamil to help girls learn about SRHR.  We are continuing our weekend workshops on Lifeskill and SRHR.  We are happy that girls who attended these workshops no more hesitant to talk about puberty, menstruation, they also discuss it with their mothers, sisters and friends. We are also continuing our SRHR education in schools.  As part of lifeskill and sexuality education now we are also conducting yoga classes for adolescent girls. Nearly 350 girls benefitted from these activities.  After reading the 12year girls suicide news, now we are planning to conduct trainings on SRHR for school teachers.  This year 18 girls who are members of ‘Snehidhi’ association for adolescent girls joined colleges, we expected only 10-15 girls join the college, we are very happy that 18 girls are going to college.  Our last few years work with girls are now producing results.  The problem is most of them scored just pass mark so got admission in private colleges where fees is high, so we are looking for ways of helping them, mobilizing local support to provide scholarships for them, also exploring ways of getting bank loans for education.   August 15, we celebrated the Independence Day in Velachery area and on that day 9 girls who have joined colleges were given a scholarship of Rs.5000 each.  On that day women and girls organized cultural events and Mr. Anandan from ‘Banyan’ talked about mental health. Adolescent girls also visited the Banyan Mental health institute and interacted with the inmates, the mentally ill women.  They also performed cultural events like dance, songs for the inmates. They also visited BALM-Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental health and learned about the courses they offer.

We are also continuing our computer education classes and now promoting the use of ‘Snehihdi’ app for SRHR and getting the feedback of adolescent girls.  We have been conducting regular meetings of mothers of adolescent girls mostly discussed about girls children’s education, SRHR, marriage with them.  All most all the mothers want to educate their daughters and make sure they do not come to their work that is construction work and domestic work, same time they also worried about their daughter’s wedding, dowry.

In velacharry slum are a in collaboration with ‘Prajnya’ we have conducated a safety audit of the area for women.  Snehidhi adolescent girls association members participated and completed the survey, identified the risky areas, safe areas, organizations and people to approach when they are in danger, the number of street lights, toilets, clinics available in the area.  It was a very useful and learning experience for the adolescent girls. 

In general, the participation of ‘Snehihdi’ adolescent girls improved they have taken initiatives in organizing events, played the role of trainers to help younger girls learn their school lessons and also SRHR.  Most of them think about career, education and in the process postponing their marriage to beyond. 21 years of age.

In general we are happy about our achievements, we could able to do lot of things without much funds, the Snehidhi members participation also increased. Now we are planning to create a reserve fund to support college going girls.

Centre for Women’s Development and Research
Life Skill and Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India (14480)
Update- June 2017

Last 3 months is an important period for us and adolescent girls.  For the girls it was final examinations period, particularly for 10^th and 12^th standard students it was board examinations and the results would determine their future. On 23^rd May 2017 we have organized a human chain at Besant nagar beach, Chennai, to educate the public and policy makers about the importance of SRHR-Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights. Nearly 500 adolescent girls participated in this event.

The number of abuse and violence against girls and women is increasing day by day, so its become more important to provide lifeskill and sexuality education for adolescent girls so that they can protect themselves.  We have been continuing our weekend lifeskill and sexuality education workshops/meetings, nearly 280 adolescent girls benefitted from this programmes.  Since it was final examinations period for school going girls we have organized tuition classes for 10^th and 12^th standard girls who faced board examinations.  These programmes are organized in the local schools with the collaboration of school teachers.   With the help of HCL company volunteers we also organized 3 weekend workshops and 60 girls participated in these workshops.  We have also organized May Day celebrations in the slums and adolescent girls took the responsibility of it.  They have also organized cultural programmes during May Day functions. Like last year this year also all the girls passed their board examinations 112 girls 10^th standard and 46 girls 12^th standard, most of them just passed with low mark, making it difficult to get college admissions, We are in the process of finding college admissions and other skill trainings. 10-15 girls may go to college but the problem is they may get admission in private colleges and the fees is so high, we are trying our best to mobilize scholarships and government support to help these girls so that their future will change, in a way come out of the poverty cycle.  When comparing to living conditions in the slums particularly after the continuous disasters during the last 2 years, these girls passing examinations itself is an achievement. The problem is if these girls do not go to college or further trainings the immediate thing parents would do is arranging their marriage. So we have convince the parents and girls  to marry after 21 years of age.

We are also continuing our computer skill training and 58 girls benefitted from this.  As part of this these girls also learned spoken English. During holidays we have also organized folk arts and leadership skill training for girls, 24 girls benefitted from this programme.

We have also organized regular parents meeting particularly to motivate them to educate girl children and also educate them about the short term skill training that their daughters can attend instead of expensive degree courses.

A GlobalGiving volunteer Ms.Uma visited our project 4^th June and visited the slum areas and interacted with adolescent girls and women.   She also explained the ways effectively using the tools in GlobalGiving site.

In general, it was a very busy period, and the climate in Chennai city become very hot the temperature reaching up to 107 degrees, and no rain all these affected the people and our work.  Still when we see the poor mother  working hard to help her daughters education and the girls continuing their education with all the difficulties of slum life cont we are motivated to continue our work with lot of hope and confidence.