A Journey of Resilience and Empowerment Against Societal Pressures
Prajan Kumari, a determined young girl from Bihar, was being forced into early marriage. Societal norms and pressures from her family threatened her dreams and aspirations. In the face of this adversity, Pranjan’s beacon of hope emerged in the form of crucial support from CRY America Project JJBVK.
With unwavering support and encouragement, Pranjan found her voice and purpose as she became an active member of the Adolescent Girls Collective. She not only discovered her own strength but also became a source of inspiration for her peers, showcasing the transformative power of collective action.
Pranjan persevered in her educational journey, navigating through challenges with determination and resilience. The Women and Child Development Department of Bihar honored her on the National Girl Child Day, 2024 for her unwavering commitment to empowerment.
Through her journey, Pranjan continues to inspire countless others to challenge societal norms, pursue education and march towards an empowered future.
*Name changed and image used for representation purpose only.
Sarairanjan block is situated in the central part of Samastipur district in Bihar. The agro-based economy is mostly dominated by the upper caste. The communities are landless and depend on daily wage work. The dropout children start to work with their parents in nearby agricultural fields under the ownership of the landlord to support the family income. Migration starts among the boys from the age of 14 from these villages with their relatives to other states. The massive gender disparity is a big challenge in the community. Girls face a lot of discrimination. The fear factor of being harassed and security issues while traveling for higher education becomes a challenge for the girls. Mindset of parents on girl child education is of great concern as they have been considered as liabilities to the family.
RY America’s Project JJBVK works towards enrolment and retention of children in school. The project also focuses on reduction of child labor in the community and runs preventive program for addressing child marriage. Sustainable child driven collectives are formed and peer groups are created to support children. The key activities under the project are identification of children in 3-6 years who are not enrolled in the ICDS centers and initiating process to enroll them in the schools, home visit and motivating the children of 6-18 years age group for online education, campaign against child labor in the villages, discussion with adolescent group members and working on psycho –social issues, child marriage etc.
832
children (3-6 yrs) enrolled in ICDS
114
children cleared 10th board exam
70
child marriages prevented
40
children removed from child labor & enrolled in school
107
drop out or never been to school children (6-18 yrs), enrolled in remedial classes
● Establishing 2 model VSS Vidyalaya Siksha Samiti (VSS) covering 12 members
● Capacity building of 1000 children/ adolescents on life skill modules
● Conducting sports with 6 existing teams through peer coaches
● Developing a school wise plan to make the school RTE (Right to Education Act) compliant in 27 schools
● Sensitize 45 CBO members on issue related to education and protection
● Tracking of 6-14 years children in 27 schools
● Empowering the atleast 400 members children collectives to discuss issues like availability of teachers, textbooks, Mid Day Meals, toilet and infrastructure etc.
2023 Grant Disbursed $22,814
