By K.R.Renuka | Director
Centre for Women’s Development and Research
Life Skill and Sexuality Education for 1000 girls-India (14480)
Update- September 2018
Last three months is a busy period for us because of school reopening and helping higher secondary school passed girls to get college admission and scholarships. We have also opened a computer skill training centre in Kannagi nagar slum. We have been continuing our life skill and sexuality education programmes now focusing on preventing child marriages in our working area.
Even though 80 girls passed their higher secondary examinations, only 12 girls continued their education to the college level, the major reason is financial. Up to 12th standard it is free education for them, to go to college they have to spend Rupees 30000-50000 per year in private colleges, that is beyond their capacity. In government colleges the fees are low but because of the competition one has to get higher marks to get admission in government colleges. These colleges are also away from their homes. Anyway, on an average at the national level also only 10% of students to make it to university. For us girls from poor slums and villages going to college is an achievement that would help these girls come out of the poverty cycle and empower them. We have also organized career guidance programmes for 10th and 12th standard passed and failed girls. As part of this we have provided several short term vocational skill training programmes to them, helped 40 girls join in several courses like retails management, beautician, hospitality, nursing assistant, sales girls. We are exploring the possibilities of setting up a corpse fund for girls education so that we can help more girls.
We have opened a new Learning resource centre near Kannagi nagar slum, the government place given to us is very small and the environment is also Is not very healthy for the children. The centre was inaugurated by Mr.Mohamed Zafarullah, Chief Community Development Officer, Tamilnadu Slum Clearance Board. On that day children also celebrated India’s Independence Day, by organizing cultural programmes and also by organizing sports and other completions. Nearly 160 girls participated in these events. The centre provides computer skill training and also organizes weekend lifeskill and sexuality education workshops. The place also serves as a study centre for high school students. Nearly 180 girls benefit from this centre. In addition to that we have also organized slum level meetings and trainings for adolescent girls on sexual reproductive health rights and children marriages. We have also organized school level lifeskill and sexuality education programmes nearly 550 girls and boys benefitted from this programme. To get parents support particularly mothers support for this programme we have organized regular slum level mothers meetings. Nearly 300 women participated in these meetings.
12 girls from our Velacherry centre participated in Colors Pinkathon Chennai 18 run on 5th August, to create awareness about women’s empowerment. It is a rich experience for these girls, they shared their experience with other ‘Snehidhi’ adolescent girl’s association members.
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