11 year old Anaya used to love going to school. However, there came a time when her mother started keeping unwell and the burden of household tasks fell on her. At first, she continued going to school, although irregularly. Eventually though, she dropped out of school entirely. Like most other girls her age, she had…
EDUCATION IS EMPOWERMENT
In many parts of rural India, a girl venturing outside her house alone is not considered respectable or proper behaviour. So deep-rooted is the patriarchy, or threat to their ‘virtue’, that girls are expected to be accompanied by a male member of their family when going out. Despite cultural barriers like this, Sanju Gurjar has…
#EGturns10 – CELEBRATING A DECADE OF CREATING EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
Completing a decade is an important milestone for any organization. A decade of creating impact and changing lives seems like an even greater achievement. On our 10th anniversary, we’re so honored to now be serving over 21,000 schools in some of India’s most educationally backward regions. Since 2007, we have enrolled 2,00,000 girls, across 12,000+ villages…
I NEVER THOUGHT LIFE HAD ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME
Pushkar Raj, a resident of a small village in Ajmer, Rajasthan, never let societal norms or his own outdated values affect his daughters’ upbringing. His daughter Suman and her sisters always received the same kind of treatment from their parents as a son would have. They were given equal respect and access to opportunities in…
THE YOUNG INDIAN PHILANTHROPIST
Philanthropy [fi-lan-thruh-pee] /noun/ – private initiatives for the public good. While this classic definition of philanthropy may still hold true, philanthropy as a concept has evolved on various levels; particularly in India, where giving is deeply rooted in the fabric of Indian culture and history. With a vastly changed economic and cultural setting, where is young India headed…
THE PRICE OF ALCOHOL ADDICTION AND POVERTY ON GIRLS’ EDUCATION
Once upon a time, Beawar Khas in Ajmer was known for its varied business ventures. Today, however, marble trading is the only source of income for those living in this village. There are two problems that are spreading through the community here like a plague – alcoholism and an apathy towards education. Those associated with…
GIRLS PROGRESS = GOALS PROGRESS
Investment in the education of girls may well be the highest-return investment available in the developing world. -Lawrence Summers, Economist Educating girls has a multiplier effect. Educated women tend to be healthier, actively participate in the workforce, earn more and are likely to provide better healthcare and education to their children. So it’s easy to…
TEASED FOR HER HEARING DISABILITY, SHE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL
Until July this year, Anandi was in the list of those girls who had dropped out of school. A resident of Ajmer, Rajasthan, Anandi has suffered from hearing defects since birth. Unable to hear well, she was always an easy target for ridicule from her friends and neighbors. As she didn’t go to school, and…
CELEBRATING THE GIRL CHILD… FOR THE WRONG REASONS
Bundi- my last frontier. On my assignment interviewing Educate Girls’ stakeholders, I had already travelled to Udaipur, Pali and Jhabua. I had spoken to multiple stakeholders across hierarchies. By the time I reached Bundi, I thought I had heard it all. So when one of the Block Officers in Bundi told me: “Madam, at other…
THE WILL TO LEARN AND LEAD
In a village in Alirajpur, Madhya Pradesh, there is only one person who knows how to use a computer- a girl named Ringlee. Sitting outside her brother’s house near the village temple, you will find her busy teaching some children. You will also find a digital tablet in her hand that was provided to her…
