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- 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.