Setu Adolescent Girls Program

Despite several advances in India, rural girls are rarely given the opportunity to develop and grow as they are plagued by various issues like early pregnancy, complicated childbirth, mental health issues, irregular menstruation, violence, malnutrition as well as substance abuse before they have the time to become mature adults. The girls do not have support in getting information about Sexual and Reproductive Health, and general health, and they lack the confidence to become decision-makers. Rural girls are faced with gender-based discrimination, social isolation, economic vulnerability, a lack of higher education, and inadequate health information and services – factors that prevent a healthy transition from girlhood into womanhood. Adolescent girls’ needs (10-19 years old) are multifaceted and different from the rest of the population. Girls find it difficult to be assertive about their wants and lack the confidence to become decision-makers because of their weak social, health, and economic assets. India has a large bridge to cross over to achieve gender parity because it ranks 135 out of 146 nations in the Global Gender Gap Index. 

The cornerstone of empowering adolescent girls is ensuring that they have access to education, sanitation, and basic life skills, which lay the foundation for well-rounded sustenance. Hence, empowHER India focuses on these essential areas through the following programs:

1. Program Setu: 

empowHER India is building a bridge (known as ‘Setu’ in Hindi), between a girl’s unequal present and a certain future, by providing them with life skills so that they can be better-equipped adults. To ensure a complete upliftment and transformation of the girls within their communities we also work with all stakeholders having direct contact with them. 

2. The School toilet construction and hygiene program

A sustainable school toilet construction with a robust positive hygiene program can significantly improve student attendance, health and cognitive development. The 10-month hygiene program is available for parents, school stakeholders and adolescent students. 

3. Education Program

A holistic approach has been adopted wherein along with providing academic education to 450 students from 5th to 10th - they are nurtured in the field of arts, culture and sports. Active efforts are made continuously to develop their vocational skills to increase their future employability through an improved student-centred pedagogical approach, classroom e-learning and extra-curricular activities. 

Program Setu:

·      The social, physical and psychological well-being of 1 million rural adolescent girls would be protected, improved, and transformed to realize their full potential by 2030.

·      More girls will choose to stay in school instead of dropping out, seek enrolment in vocational training courses and increase their participation in public life.

·      Girls will be better at effectively managing their sexual-reproductive health, reaching financial goals, and thus becoming independent.

·      The attitudes and behaviour of important stakeholders involved with the girls would result in the reduction of social problems such as child marriage and gender-based violence.

The School toilet construction and hygiene program

·      The students would be able to express themselves through thought-provoking positive behaviour change exercises and become self-reliant to solve school and community issues and promote gender parity.

·      A sustainable sanitation programme that manages students' personal hygiene and menstrual hygiene will help to make the school a safe space.

·      The parent-teacher and stakeholder engagement would cater to resolving the school’s pressing needs.

Education Program

·      The students would be able to develop in an environment that is safe, secure, and inclusive, allowing them to eventually reach their full potential, improve their employability in the future, and mature into responsible adults.