Girls' Empowerment

An initiative to build confidence, provide exposure, awareness, and hone leadership skills of young girls to negotiate better with the challenges of life. The program is conducted based on a life-skills education module focused on important life skills such as self-identity, communication skill, critical thinking and problem solving, goal setting, adolescence & reproductive health, and gender-based violence. A curriculum runs for a calendar of one year and is implemented through sessions in local Govt. Schools and in village level Girls Resource Centres.

Free computer education is provided to girls from rural poor households of our project area at GRC Alwar and Nogawan. Two types of courses are run at these centres - One NIIT certified “active basic” course and a computer basics course. To support girls 50 % of the travel fare is also provided to them. After completion of the course an online and offline assessment is conducted.

Ibtada provides transport facility to girls who wish to pursue higher education (school and college) but cannot do so due to limited mobility and access to public transport under our Shikha ki Udaan program. Vehicles are provided for girls on 5 different routes to attend school and college in Ramgadh. The facility is free for those who cannot afford the same whereas some provide part or full payment for the facility.

Village level Girls Resource Centres (GRC) are formed to provide young girls with a safe space to openly speak and share their problems. This peer group also helps and supports each other in academic matters and in building social capital. The purpose of the GRC is to empower the girls through education and skills and help them become independent, negotiate life decisions, choose different career options and be role models and change agents. Life skills sessions, books library, group discussion and counselling are conducted at the GRC. Girls are also provided information about vacancies, jobs, trainings, and other courses to help them choose career paths.

To guide and support girls in goal setting, career counselling sessions are conducted in Govt. school. (class 9th & 10th) based on a module prepared by Ibtada team. The camps also provide guidance to explore new sectors and job opportunities available. Ibtada also supports the girls in preparing for various competitive examinations for government jobs.

Different workshops are conducted for enhancing capabilities in of the girls and provide exposure. Workshops are conducted on dance, publication, drama, public speaking as well as vocational skills such as Beautician, Retail, Tally, Paramedic, Nursing etc. The trainings are also a platform for career paths and help the girls prepare for interviews and secure jobs.