The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) was launched by the government of India in 2004 with the objective of building residential schools for out-of-school girls in marginalized communities. CARE India collaborated with the government to improve educational processes in these schools including, but not limited to, teacher development, institutional strengthening, material and curriculum development and monitoring and evaluation. Over 2000 girls in 24 districts of Uttar Pradesh have benefited from this programme.  Two such girls, Samreen Fatma and Kiran Gautam, age 12 and 11 respectively, study...
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An unpaved path led us to a room that stood in isolation, ahead of the local school in Gudahiya, in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, India. A group of young boys scurried about outside, while the eager participants of CARE’s Girls’ Leadership Programme*, waited for us inside.  We were welcomed with a song that questioned the plight of women; one that the girls sang with immense passion and determination. It made me think of the innumerable women across India who braved various manifestations of inequality and...
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Vandana at 12 is not very different from other girls of her age.  She has dreams in her eyes and she wears a shy smile on her face. What make her stand out is the ‘never give up’ spirit amongst adversities and challenges.  Vandana was once enrolled in school but she does not remember when. However, her education was punctuated by a long break as economic hardship forced her father to migrate to Delhi, and later to Mumbai for work. Meanwhile her mother shouldered the responsibility...
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This Valentine’s Day spending some quality time with my husband was a big bonus. Given our busy schedules, we decided to make time for ourselves. A leisurely lunch and a thoughtful gift presented with this soulful couplet made my day complete. suna hai mohabbat mein hadein nahin hoti, gar hoti hai hadh, to wahan mohabbat nahin hoti(I have heard that there are no boundaries when you love someone, if there are boundaries then love is absent)This couplet speaks a lot about breaking down barriers and communication...
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Today I would like to introduce you to a formidable woman from a small village in Uttar Pradesh who symbolizes the shakti or power in a woman. Chaman Bano, a 42 year old spunky woman, never went to a management school, but manages the needs of her village with an ease of a veteran. As the elected female representative of her village, she is inspiring other women to follow her example. The respect and admiration in her village is hard won and the path has...
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