What do girls from India’s underprivileged communities need to help them achieve their dreams?
Our partner in India, Child Rights and You, did just that. CRY conducted workshops in 18 states in India to explore the obstacles to education that girls face and to learn why they drop out of school. They discussed their problems, their wishes, and what they would like to change so they can complete their education and realize their own potential.
With your support, our girls have come a long way and now know what they want! However there are many obstacles that stand in the way of them completing their education and the pandemic has worsened their situation.
Girls from underprivileged sections of society face numerous challenges when it comes to voicing their opinion or talking about what they really want! Obstacles like lack of easy access to school, poor infrastructure, less or no involvement of parents and early marriage makes staying in school and completing an education a far-fetched dream for many.
By contributing to CRY America you stand by these girls, support their voice, help them beat the odds and encourage them to continue on their journey to success.
Support our girls by supporting CRY America today!
Dhanyasri - Project SPT
COVID did more damage to students from underprivileged communities than any other section of society. Schools were shut for more than 2 years. Dhanyasri was one such student studying in the 10th grade in Kootathupatti Higher Secondary School. The students were very happy when the schools reopened but were also hesitant to go back.
Since the schools were shut for a long time, the toilets were damaged with no water facility and not in a condition for the girls to use.
The boys in the school used the open space next to the school but the girls had no option. In order to avoid visiting the toilets, the girls did not drink water the whole day and ended up with urinary infections in a few weeks. Dhanyasri was one of them. She fell sick and had to stay away from school for many days.
This was the story for the majority of girls in her school. Also during her period, Dhanyasri would stay home for 4 days every month and miss out on her studies. All this because of no proper toilets in school.
Dhanyasri was tired of this and wanted to end it. CRY America project was working in her village and she was part of the children’s activity center there. The team raised the issue of the poor condition of the toilets in school with the District Collector, and the District Educational Officer and also published the petition in the newspapers. They managed to get an amount of Rs.1,60,000 towards building and maintaining the toilets.
“We now have proper toilets with water in our school that are used by more than 300 students. My friends and I are happy to attend school and don’t have to take leaves anymore”, says a smiling Dhanyasri.
Sowmiya - Project RWDS
Sowmiya lives with her parents and two brothers in Ayyanarpuram Village in Ramanathapuram District. This village has nearly 30 families with 21 children travelling to school every day.
“The thought of going to school every morning made us not want to wake up at all”, shares Sowmiya. The children in that village began hating school. Not because of a lack of interest in studies, not because of the teachers, not because they had better things to do, but because they had to struggle to get there each day. In order to reach school, the children have to walk through fields for 4 kms since they don’t have a proper road or a bridge that can take them safely. “There have been times during the monsoons when I have fallen down and hurt myself and even ruined my notebook and clothes”, shared a disappointed Sowmiya. The people in her village were also hesitant to encourage the young girls to travel so much each day to reach school. Sowmiya was determined to complete her studies but was finding it difficult to continue.
She was part of the children's collectives run by the CRY America project in that village, where she was educated about her rights and also found a voice through the meetings and discussions held there. Together with the other girls, Sowmiya sent a handmade postcard to the Chief Minister Division. The elders in the village were taken up by the efforts the girls were putting and decided to support them. There were protests held in front of the District Collector Office and finally the young girls got their road! A road that would lead them to success!
Sowmiya is now in school and is happy that her siblings won’t have to struggle to reach school and don't have to drop out mid-way.
Shivani - Bridge School
Shivani was in class 5 when the pandemic struck in 2020. Schools were closed for two years and when it opened, she had forgotten almost everything that she had learnt in school. Her father pulled her out of school as he did not see the point of educating a girl. However, her mother supported her to join the bridge course classes supported by CRY America project in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar-Pradesh.
Shivani was excited to be studying again, but bridge class was different in many ways as compared to her last school. It was her first time using a tablet. Shivani enjoyed each session at the bridge class, be it a lesson taught by the teacher or even a video tutorial. She regained her confidence! Apart from regular studies, her teacher would often show them videos on conversations that girls had on topics like dowry education and child marriage.
Seeing the change in his daughter and the confidence with which she spoke, Shivani’s father understood the importance of sending his girl to school. The counselling sessions by the teacher also helped him become a changed man who now wants to support his daughter’s dream.
Shivani is enrolled back in her regular school and understands everything that is being taught there. She is thankful to her teacher at the bridge school who helped her find a way to stay focused and not give up. Inspired by what her teacher did for her, Shivani wants to become a teacher too and bring happiness to children around.
Shivamma - Project SVK
Being the eldest girl in the family of four, Shivamma’s father decided to get her married to reduce the financial burden which hit them after the pandemic.
She was a member of the adolescent girls group operated by CRY America project SVK and was well informed of her rights. Even though she knew what to do, it was very difficult as the group could not meet due to COVID restrictions. However, the project team found an alternative to this and began keeping in touch with the girls from the collective through online sessions using whatsapp groups, community based organizations and local leaders.
Shivamma, who was actively participating in these sessions, reached out to the SVK team and informed them about her parent’s decision to get her married.
The team reached out to the family and managed to convince them to cancel the marriage and allow their daughter to study further and become independent. The groom’s family was also convinced and so Shivamma was able to rejoin school. She is in class today, happy and hopeful of a future where she can be someone she always dreamt of becoming.