How NGOs are changing the face of girl child education in India?

• What are the reasons for girls not getting an equal opportunity of education:

  While most of us might be conscious of the importance of girl education in India, we might not be aware of why girls are not able to get the education they deserve. There are several factors in play and it might be one or many times, a combination, that leads to girls not being able to go to school or having to drop out. Here are some of the major contributors:

  • Poverty: This is perhaps one of the biggest players in the list of why girls are not able to go to school - because the girls belong to extremely poor families, education figures nowhere in the list for the parents. When two square meals a day is a task, sending their child to school is not on the spectrum at all. And in case there is money to spend on education, the parents would prefer to spend it on their sons, because after all, they will become the breadwinners.
  • Early marriage: For most parents, especially those who come from socially and financially disadvantaged backgrounds, daughters bring along a range of concerns. Their safety is often a constant worry and getting them married means immense expenditure and even though dowry in the more obvious forms might have reduced, there is still the requirement to give away 'gifts' to the groom and his family. In cases where there are more daughters than one, the burden is multiplied and parents prefer to marry them off as soon as possible. Again, even though the law states that girls cannot be married before the age of 18, and there are many girl education NGOs in India, there are several cases of them being married at much younger age.
  • Menstruation: Menstruation might be a normal occurrence, but for many girls, all across the country, the start of the menstrual cycle means the end of schooling. Without access to proper toilets and sanitary pads, several girls are forced to drop out, even though they might not want to. A report by NGO Dasra published in 2019 stated that 23 million girls dropped out of school due to lack of menstrual hygiene related facilities. Moreover, the start of menstruation also brings with it a fear of being ridiculed or subjected to shaming.
  • Lack of opportunities in rural areas: Perhaps one of the biggest problems for girls not being able to get an education is the lack of infrastructure. If girls have to travel long distances to get to a school, parents will choose not to send them at all – travelling the distance is one problem and then there is the fact that their safety might be in jeopardy and so on.

• What role can NGOs play?

  Thankfully these days, there are several NGOs that are working towards improving the conditions - they are working towards bringing girls back to the classroom, allowing them to study as much as they want and offering them the opportunities they deserve. It is important to understand how it is that the NGOs are working and what they can do to help improve the situations.

  • Creating a sense of awareness is perhaps of utmost importance and that is what almost all the NGOs are trying to do. Whether it is through their websites, through their volunteers or through their social outreach programs, NGOs are trying to make parents and children equally aware of the fact that education is not optional, it is a must.
  • One of the best ways of promoting girl education in India would be to make it free and this is where the NGOs come into the picture. Almost every NGO that is working in the field of education, especially related to the girl child, offers free education, allowing girls from even the most financially challenged backgrounds a chance at bettering their lives. From free books to access to resources, there is much that NGOs are doing today, including some of them offering scholarships and opportunities of higher education to the truly deserving.
  • NGOs are also working towards destroying the notion that education is to be restricted on the basis of age - there is no age for learning and it need not be solely from books. While adult education classes are one way to go, another would be more skill based. Where conventional education might not be conducive, there is always the option of skill training or vocational learning.

  It is heartening to see so many NGOs working tirelessly to provide girls with not only education, but also opportunities. Here are just some of the NGOs for girl education in India:

  • Smile Foundation: Access to education is a right that has been guaranteed by the Constitution of India, and NGOs like Smile Foundation have been working towards ensuring the same. The team works towards dispelling the stigmas associated with educating girls, allowing them the chance to unlock their true potential. Initiatives like She Can Fly are directed at young women, allowing them to not only become self-reliant but also create a better life. More than 100,000 children have received an education and 55% of those children are girls.
  • Educate Girls: Founded by Safeena Husain, Educate Girls works in tandem with other organisations like UNICEF, Pratham Rajasthan and Dream Catchers Foundation to help develop one of the most sustainable models of educating girls from socially marginalised and financially challenged backgrounds. By working with the community, their volunteers bring girls back to the classroom, where they can learn and grow. As a matter of fact, the efforts of these volunteers has led to the mobilisation of more than 1.4 million girls towards enrollment.
  • Milaan Foundation: Working towards a world that is not only equal, but also inclusive for girls, Milaan Foundation is determined to bring girls from marginalized communities into the mainstream, via education and skills. This is one of the education NGOs in India that aims to empower 10 million girls, by the year 2023 and create leaders who can take the country to greater heights. Presently, the foundation has a presence in 4 states, where it has impacted the lives of more than 40,000 children.
  • K.C. Mahindra Education Trust: The KC Mahindra Trust has been working towards improving the lives of girls, through education, since the year 1953. Their Project Nanhi Kali is one of the most comprehensive and extensive programmes for the education of girls. Through their programs, girls from underprivileged families are provided academic support as well as school supplies. Working in more than 14 states across the country, Nanhi Kali has been able to transform the lives of more than 500,000 girls!
  • Ek Tara: What started with a small group of children from the slums of Kolkata in the year 2011, today, has become one of the leading NGOs to work towards providing holistic education. They run a program for underprivileged children, offering them a foundation that allows them to find footing in the formal schooling system. With an interesting collaboration with Chakke Pe Kaksha, they are aiming to bring the school to the children, bringing education to more than 600 children!
  • Snehalaya: When Snehalaya was founded in 1989, it was building education programs for a few children of sex workers, but today, its reach has extended to so many more children. It offers opportunities to not only children but also women from underprivileged backgrounds and shows another way how NGOs help girls in education. The proof of the pudding lies in the fact that the children of sex workers are completing 12 years of education and then reintegrating back into the society.

Brigham Young once said: You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation. In countries like India, the role of NGOS in education is of utmost importance. As individuals, there are several ways in which we can help too - whether you choose to offer a monthly or annual donation, whether you choose to volunteer with them or even choose to contribute in kind. The one thing that NGOs will never fall short of is people like you to support them - when you choose to donate towards educating girls, you are doing your part in converting our nation into a true superpower!