Empower Young Women to be Leaders, India

Women’s Education Project (WEP) established partnerships with Aarti Home, a residence for over 100 orphaned and abandoned girls in Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh, Cerana Foundation in Hyderabad, Telangana, and Sudar Foundation in Madurai Tamil Nadu - providing its I Am a Leader curriculum, for young women to become economically independent. In 2019, WEP invited its partners to pilot its revised curriculum, the Leadership Academy.  

In April, 2020, when COVID-19 reached India, Aarti Home, Cerana and Sudar students and staff went into full lock-down. Over the next few months, WEP restricted Academy activities to online (aside from the Aarti Home, where thirty young women, already quarantined and living together were able to attend the Academy, in person).

Partner Report excerpts from May - November are below (showing the only possible program of the Academy).

Aarti Home - WEP Leadership Academy was inaugurated on the 27th of August, 2020. The following is the report of activities conducted during the month of September 2020 (abbreviated). Each day starts the day with mindfulness practice. English is being taught by Ms. Reddy, the participants were taught about nouns, adjectives and verbs. The skill syllabus was created to teach about various activities: banking and business basics, Computer Skils: MS Office, Internet Browsing, Website design etc. Entrepreneurial Skills: Photography, Terracotta Jewellery, Tailoring Class. Special Events: a seminar by the Obstetrics and Gynaecological Society of Hyderabad was organized by eminent Gynaecologists from Hyderabad addressed on various topics relating to Women Health / Hygiene and Legal Awareness. Ms. Swathi, the founder of Terra Viridis, a sustainable architecture design consultancy based out of Hyderabad, spoke to the participants about her experiences and challenges in starting her firm. She spoke to the participants on environmental issues, greenhouse gases, etc. She advised the participants to follow their passion and be truthful to themselves.

Cerana - True to its name, ‘the morning light’, WEP's Ushassu has been spreading light in the lives of underprivileged girls. Two centres: Urban (45 students) and Rural (70 students) in the age group of 16–27 years, from seven colonies and 35 semi-villages in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. During COVID, the students made kitchen garden and interviewed their elders to make a traditional cookery book. They identified non-ration card holders – providing relief by connecting them to authorities concerned. They made masks for sanitation workers and taught them about COVID protection. Many of the families were provided rations. Aside from this, the students formed clubs and safely meet regularly in their villages, to discuss issues and support each other. 

Sudar Foundation - For 85 students, we created google classrooms and enrolled our  students for our online programs  in English, Study Skills, and Government Exam Preparation. The students formed their own clubs, set goals and meet regularly online: Tech Club, 19 students. Financial Club, 26 students. Language Club, 13 students. Sudar Dance and Sports club 18 students. 

Quotes: “I was a lonely girl all these days, afraid to participate in discussions and lacked the confidence to speak my mind out. The past week has been very useful for me as the academy has given me the courage to participate in discussions. I hope to learn a lot of things and become a successful entrepreneur.” – Maheshwari (Participant) Aarti Village

On behalf of Women’s Education Project and the students attending the Leadership Academy, we thank you for kind and generous support. We look forward to sharing with you further updates and photographs. 

Links:

• https://womenseducationproject.org/