Empowering adolescent girls through life skills education is crucial for transforming rural communities and unlocking their potential. EmpowHER India, an NGO working in the Raigad district of Maharashtra, has been at the forefront of this mission, implementing comprehensive life skills programs, WaSH initiatives, and educational interventions in areas like Karjat, Pen, and Alibag. The organization has recently expanded its SETU program to Sambhaji Nagar in Aurangabad, further extending its reach and impact.
Life skills education equips adolescent girls with essential abilities, knowledge, and attitudes to navigate the challenges of everyday life. It encompasses a wide range of skills, including decision-making, gender equality, safety, health, nutrition, and financial literacy which are the core topics of the curriculum. EmpowHER India’s targeted interventions, such as the life skills curriculum, and parent intervention sessions, aim to foster adaptive and positive behavior among adolescent girls, empowering them to make informed decisions and thrive in their personal and professional lives.
The Importance of Life Skills in Adolescent Development
Life skills education plays a pivotal role in the holistic development of adolescents, equipping them with essential abilities to navigate the challenges of everyday life effectively. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in India has recognized the importance of life skill education and made it a compulsory element in its curriculum.
Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant physical, emotional, social, and cognitive changes. Life skills education assists adolescents in understanding themselves. It promotes positive social attitudes and behaviors prevents antisocial activities, and enables them to explore alternatives and make rational actions. Simple activities such as classroom discussions, brainstorming, role plays, groups, educational games, and simulations, analysis of situations and case studies, story-telling, and debates are being used by empowHER trainers to enhance life skills in students.
EmpowHER India: A Model for Change
EmpowHER India, founded in 1993 with headquarters in Mumbai, Maharashtra, has been at the forefront of empowering adolescent girls and their communities for a better and brighter future. empowHER India works with more than 2700 adolescents, comprising of both boys and girls out of which more than 1600 are adolescent girls. In the past quarter (Jan 2024 – Mar 2024) alone empowHER has impacted more than 4400 stakeholders including, adolescents, parents, school authorities, ASHA workers, and more through their sessions and interventions.
EmpowHER India’s key programs include:
- SCHOOL WaSH: This program focuses on sanitation for government schools. Since 2021, they have built 8 toilets, providing sanitation access to aaproximately 1500 children. The program has achieved a 100% elimination of open defecation by installing well-maintained toilets coupled with a hygiene regimen.
- SETU: EmpowHER India has successfully made more than 1600 rural adolescent girls aware of the importance of gender equality and its impact on their overall development through this program.
- Rakesh Jain Madhyamik Vidyamandir (RJMV): Established in 2000, this school addresses the growing need to educate the girl child with a holistic approach that includes arts, culture, vocational skills, sports, and digital technology. RJMV remains a holistic hub of learning for both girls and boys, perpetuating change and societal progress.
EmpowHER India’s impact extends beyond its programs. The organization had also built over 2500 individual household toilets and transitioned to building toilets in government schools, uplifting over 2500 women, girls, and individuals. EmpowHER India’s SETU and WaSH programs have been instrumental in transforming the lives of adolescent girls and their communities in rural areas and they continue to advocate for fair and equal pay, promote the vital link between water and peace, and inspire hope for a brighter future.
Anamara Baig, CEO of empowHER India shares the aim of the organization for the next 5 years
“Over the next five years, our organization’s objective is to disseminate our life skills program, Setu, to one million adolescents through partnerships with governmental bodies and other stakeholders. Through this initiative, our overarching goal is to catalyze policy reforms at the state and national levels, acknowledging life skills as pivotal for a smooth transition into adulthood.”
Life skills education programs, like those implemented by EmpowHER India, are crucial for empowering adolescent girls and transforming rural communities. By equipping girls with essential skills, knowledge, and attitudes, these initiatives enable them to navigate the challenges of everyday life effectively and make informed decisions about their future.
Support empowHER India’s mission to reach one million adolescent girls by 2023 by donating today!