Shaping Future of Adolescent Girls inLucknow Slums

Social behaviors, education and skill development have been in center of our project aiming at empowerment of adolescent girls in partnership with GlobalGiving in slums of Lucknow. Nazia living in Gulzar Nagar Slum dropped out of school after completing 10^th class and became confined to domestic works. Her father died and family living conditions worsened. She was encouraged to participate in life skill counselling sessions, community level particiaptry planning and mobilization processes under the project. It motivated her to be member of adolescent girls group formed in her slum and later she became community volunteer. She restarted her education. Project facilitated her participation in vocational courses organized under government schemes. While continuing her education, she gained computer skills. She has also joined English speaking course. Currently, 30 children come to her for tuition classes. She has facilitated enrollment of 8 dropout girls in school. She is an example of shaping her and life of other girls living is slums.

Like Nazia, 137 adolescent girls with support of project have received vocation skills through linkages with vocational training programmes of the government.Project is building foundation for adolescent girls empowerment in slums. It includes family and community level social and behavioral change communication, particiaptry planning on community issues, life skill education, formation of adolescent girls and women groups, mainstreaming with development and government services. It is changing life pattern of girls in terms of education, prevention of child marriage, communication, participation, addressing gender discrimination and moving ahead with dreams of better future in slums.

We express our sincere thanks to GlobalGiving and all supporters for contribution. It is enabling us to work with adolescent girls, their families, wider communities and facilitate change among them.