CARE India- Girls Leadership Model

Care India-Girls Leadership Model (GLM)

CARE India is working to alleviate poverty and social injustice by empowering women and girls from marginalized communities across India

Area of Intervention CARE India’s Girl Education Program (GEP) works across educational levels, from early childhood to adolescent stages, promoting quality and equitable education in a safe and secure learning environment

Key Geography Bihar, Haryana, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh

Need for the initiative

Problem • Presence of biased gender inequality in the society • Lack of self-confidence and leadership skills in marginalized children, especially girls

Situation Before • Insecure environment at schools • Weak and gender-insensitive community

Intervention

Overview CARE India’s ‘leadership curriculum’ was transacted as tool to promote leadership skills in girls

Steps • Institutionalize curriculum based and innovative co-curricular reflection in school • Sensitize teachers, parents and community on equity and leadership • Develop and nurture mentors and role models

Resources • Dedicated workforce to facilitate leadership skills in all children • The cost incurred per adolescent girl per annum in school-based leadership program is Rs 1,000. • Establishment of community library is done in Rs 4,00,000 while community-based leadership program for adolescent girls cost Rs 25,000 per annum per village

Impact and Key Learning Achieved so far • Operational in 50 upper primary government schools, the program has reached out to 4,000 children in two districts of Bihar. • Managed by adolescent girls’ collectives, 10 community libraries have been set up in 3 districts of UP, reaching out to 4,500 community members • The model has been expanded to 100 villages in Shravasti district in UP

Key Learning • A contextual adaptation of the leadership approach is imperative before it can be implemented • Assigned resource materials to transact the above activities in a planned manner • Teacher training on promoting leadership skills in children and making environment safe and secure for education