Our Impact
Research indicates that when a girl has information, skills and assets, she is more able to succeed, specifically in negotiating life changing situations and decisions that affect herself and her family and also to be engaged in decision making in her community.
In May of 2022, the pilot program including 300 adolescent girls from one school in Rishikesh successfully concluded. The following report provides the before and after data that was collected on the impact of this pilot program with 100 girls who fully participated in all activities associated with the program. Girls who went through this pilot program now have a better understanding of how their bodies work, how to protect themselves and how to succeed in life as is evidenced in the following pages.
Why the below outcomes matter
Pregnancy and childbirth complications are among the leading causes of death in girls aged 15 to 19 years. Adolescent pregnancy is a serious health threat to young women in India.
Discrimination against menstruating women and girls is widespread in India, where periods have long been a taboo and considered impure. Women and girls are often excluded from social and religious events, denied entry into temples and shrines and even kept out of kitchens. Nearly 23 million girls drop out of school annually after they start their periods due to a fear of shaming from classmates, lack of clean toilets in schools and poor access to sanitary products.
India has the largest number of child brides in the world -1/3rd of the global total. She is more likely to experience domestic violence and become infected with HIV/AIDS.
For young Indian women, making it through life can be a daunting task. Some level of guidance and direction from a slightly older female mentor does a world of good in encouraging a girl to remain responsible, safe and smart, while helping her to cultivate confidence and gain opportunities and build relationships.
Girls benefit from knowing their value and strengths as it helps them to discover their personal vision and clarify their dreams to more easily survive and excel in a world.
For millions of girls across India, getting an education is the only way to escape poverty, abuse, early marriage, and early pregnancy. Due to existing attitudes regarding girls’ education, safety concerns, distance between home and school, lack of affordable sanitary napkins, absence of separate and functional toilets, and poor school infrastructure, millions of teenage girls in India tend to become irregular in attending schools or drop out before completing their schooling.
