Children’s Development
Education and skill development for adolescent girls of backward castes, Supported by Global fund for Children.
January 2020 was a historical moment in India wherein Gram Bharati Samiti under the aegis of CARI, France led the project on agro ecology with the support of likeminded civil society organizations.
Gram Bharati Samiti, GBS has been effective implementing programs and activities by actively involving farmers, scientists and other stake holders. In this regard AME, Renuka agri farms, Zero budget natural farming, Vaagdhara and Dharamitra are five progressive initiatives with regard to avaclim agro ecology projects in India that proved to be effective and created greater impact as per the objectives of the project.
Challenges
GBS initiated a project with support from the Global Fund for Children to make a breakthrough in this context which brought a drastic change in the situation in the target area. Project was implemented in 4 most backward villages – Gaonli, Kolyana, Ghoreth and Jogiyon ki dhaani in the remote of block Jamwaramgarh in district Jaipur.
Outcomes
- Training to 50 women trainers and volunteers.
- Non formal education to 350 girls on the pattern of ‘half-half education’.
- Awareness on reproductive and sexual health, women’s rights and HIV/AIDS through camps, focused group discussions, Peace Tiles events and using IEC materials.
- Vocational training to 150 girls on carpet weaving and embroidery.
Characteristics of the project
- It was first ever project of its kind GBS implemented in the most backward villages of the area.
- The project was exclusively for the girls, who were generally neglected or placed on the last priority.
- It involved the girls of most backward castes (marginalized in the global terminology).
- The project successfully raised awareness among the girls on the issues like reproductive and sexual health, HIV/AIDS and STDs etc. which are highly tabooed and not allowed to be discussed with the adolescent girls in the target area.
- The project created a very supportive and enabling environment in the target area for girls’ education.
- It began an attitudinal change among the parents of the girls who not only allowed their daughters to get enrolled in the project activities, but were happy that their daughters became able to earn some money through the training provided to them and supporting financially their family.