Children India Project #42451

Train 2,500 Indian girls as peer health leaders

by Adolescent Health Champions, Inc.

Summary

Gender inequality is widespread in India and impacts the health and educational outcomes of its 120 million adolescent girls. GHC will first train 2,500 Indian teen girls as peer health educators, or "Champions," in 100 low-income schools in India. These Champions will then provide over 30,000 of their classmates with the critical health education and support they need to thrive in adolescence, covering topics like menstruation, mental health, sexual & reproductive health, and nutrition.

$25,000
total goal

$7,393
remaining

239
donors

1
monthly donor

2
fundraisers

10
months

Challenge

India has the world's largest adolescent population, which includes 120 million teen girls. Gender inequality impacts the health of millions of these girls. Due to societal, cultural, and religious taboos, the comprehensive adolescent health education required to overcome these challenges is often poorly taught or completely missing during a girl's in-school education. As a result, females suffer an unacceptable burden of health and educational consequences in adolescence and into adulthood.

Solution

Our award-winning organization, Girls Health Champions, uses an innovative, evidence-based peer education model to cultivate a network of youth health educators ("Champions") in low-income schools across India. We capitalize on the innate voice and leadership potential of our Champions, empowering these promising youth as central actors in their own health and well-being. Our Champions lead the educational process and share crucial health information in their schools and in their communities.

Long-Term Impact

This project will train a network of 2,500 Indian teenage girls as emerging health leaders. These Champions will then provide essential health education to 30,000 girls across 100 low-income schools in India in health topics that matter most to adolescent females, including menstruation, mental health, sexual & reproductive health, and nutrition & anemia. Our Champions are the next generation of women's health leaders shaping positive health attitudes + outcomes and inter-generational change!