Empower girls like Priti in slums in Pune, India

Summary

13 year old Priti lives in Burma Cell, a slum of corrugated iron huts in the suburbs of Pune. This empowerment project helps 1,100 girls like Priti take control of their lives each year. Confidence is the key to escaping the poverty cycle of illiteracy, child-labour, child-marriage and ill-health that these girls are trapped in. This project provides the girls with the skills and confidence to engage in society and it challenges traditional views and stereotypes about gender roles.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

The project has been established to support and empower adolescent girls like Priti aged 13 to 21, many of whom have dropped out of formal schooling. Discriminatory values in society and a lack of education, low self esteem and poor communication skills contribute to restricting these young women to their homes within the slums. These girls are often married at a young age (under 18) and often experience domestic violence. Health is poor in this group, largely due to lack of nutrition.

How will this project solve this problem?

Essential life skills - communication, statutory rights, dealing with domestic violence. Vocational skills training Health check programs e.g. respiratory tract infections, gynecological issues. Hygiene and nutrition training

Potential Long Term Impact

These girls are the women and mothers of the future. If left to be ignorant of their rights they are destined to be subject to abuse and discrimination. The long term impact expected is a change in societal attitudes towards women. All funds being raised currently will be going towards the cycle of project activities for the year 2013/14.

Project Message

The community organiser is kind and she speaks to me with respect; I think that has made me much more confident. My sisters have seen me change and they copy me because they want to be like me.
- Priti Jadhav, 13, Beneficiary, Burma Cell slum