Life skills training of 300 girls in Mumbai slums

Dear Friends,

It is a pleasure to connect with you through Globalgiving network. Regular sessions in English speaking, computer use and general knowledge and the multilingual mobile library continue in all our centres for girls. The high point of last two months was the week long celebration of the Indian Independence Day on August 15. A lot of preparations, including two workshops speech making, took place prior to it.  Our girls have released the 8^th issue of their own newsletter titled   ‘ Hamari Batein’ . In the four new centers that have emerged from your support, girls are receiving training in collecting news, conducting interviews, Hindi/Marathi typing etc. In the meantime they produced their first wall papers and disseminated them in their bastis carrying them in their rallies. Creating newsletters and wallpapers as well as organizing public programs is an integral part of Vacha's interventions with girls. It is an empowering experience for girls to leave their private space and participate in public life and be vocal about their issues. Girls in this project had also worked on fund raising, typing and finally on sale of their newsletters.

On other days during this period, girls had also organized public meetings  to spread awareness about Right to food and the Need to educate girls. They delivered speeches, performed street plays and made  power point presentations. Total 470 individuals attended these events. 102 were adults including the parents, community members and local community leaders. 378 youth, male and female both, attended these functions. It was the first time for many of the girls in the new communities in the project to move freely across the narrow lanes of their crowded localities and talk to people on social issues concerning themselves. They received mixed response. While in two very conservative communities the parents were initially reluctant to allow their daughters to give public speeches and had to be persuaded. However, when they witnessed the confidence and the passion with which the girls spoke, they appreciated girls the perseverance of their daughters and of  Vacha's facilitators. In a new centre in Netivli near Kalyan, the local community leaders appreciated girl performance and have agreed to cooperate with all Vacha Initiatives and provide free space for them  in a large socio religious building.

Besides regular activities, a trip to Yusuf Meher Ali Centre for 119 girls was organized. YMA Centre is named after a great youth leader during the Independence struggle. The centre gives training in eco friendly production work and has small production units in materials for daily use. YMA Centre also conducts educational facilities and health care activities and  relief work for the rural poor. Girls gained exposure to different social settings and concerns with this visit. A group of 25 girls also attended a public lecture on malaria and its prevention.

Your contributions have made this work possible. Our team continues to be grateful to you for that.

With best wishes and regards,

Sonal Shukla