By Smriti Mohanty | Project Leader
The global pandemic has been a big blow for everyone but especially the vulnerable section of our society. Women and children have been affected the most and the harmful practice of early & child marriage (ECM) was tipped off to the edge during the pandemic. With schools being shut down there has been a surge in instances of many young women and girls between the ages 16-18 being forced to drop out with no hope for them to return to school ever again. Many young women’s dream of higher studies was crumbled overnight when they were forced into getting married instead. We at Aaina especially now more than ever are actively working towards empowering these young women and educating them about how they should take control of their lives and not feel coerced into getting married. These smart young women have the potential and Aaina is only the facilitator giving them the push they need to break the social barriers and put an end to ECM.
With Aaina’s initiative on the Second Chance Education Project (SCE) it has given a lot of opportunity and hope for women who had to drop out from school but now had this new opportunity to enroll into the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), which is a distance education programme. During this lockdown some close to 378 young women have enrolled to NIOS and the enrollment was made available for free to encourage more young women to pursue distance education. NIOS offered these young women to select their choice of favorite subjects that they are more keen and passionate about. Enrolment to NIOS is available for young women between the age group of 15-35. To just cite one example of the success of the SCE project we will share the experience of Trupti Sahu (name changed) from Pallisantrapur village, Kamakhyanagar block of Dhenakanal, Odisha, of 16 years who had to give up her dream of higher studies due to family’s financial condition and social pressure, she had to marry to a man who was 14 years elder to her. Her in-laws house was in Bagha Basa village,Kankadahada block of Dhenkanal district of Odisha. Seeing her willingness to study Aaina’s staff motivated and encouraged her in-laws to continue her studies. With the help of the SCE project Trupti enrolled herself into NIOS and because of her zeal to pursue her higher studies she is now continuing her education through SCE.
Apart from distance education programme the other two things that team Aaina is proud of under the SCE Project is the increase in farm-based activities converting the bare lands to cultivable lands and the increase in women farmers and their ability to select their cash crop and seeds on their own. The SCE project has also given the opportunity for young women to start their own business while staying at home and developing their enterprising skill. Under the SCE Programme there have been about 9 mobilization activities out of which the no of women mobilized is close to 480. We at Aaina are continually striving to create more opportunities and make young women self sufficient and self-reliant and help them recognize and nurture their potential.
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