Urmul Jyoti Sansthan is also recognizing through its adolescent girls education and their vocational training. We are running Balika Shivirs(Residential Girls` Education/vocational training Camps) at Mukam, Nokha.In this activity enrolled children in the age group 9 to 18 years particularly those from remote areas and with no schools nearby and those belonging to the poor and deprived sections of the society.Most of these girls have never been to a school-now too old for admission in a government school and some are dropouts. In a short span of 6 to 7 months they are readied or coaching add so that they pass out 5th, 8th,10th and 12th exam. After this education we also run vocational training for those girls who cannot continue their education. Through this activity more than 15000 adolescent girls directly benefited and build a strong environment in the favor of female literacy.
Initially we started this type residential girls education camps for class 5th only but now our continue efforts and upgrade government schools up to 12th class in every Gram Panchayat we have no need for primary section girls education camps and we are only running this activities for above 10th class adolescent girls through coaching. However there are those who are unable to pursue education for various familial reasons and return home. It has surfaced that one reason is the lack of middle schools and lack of female teachers in the villages. These and other such girls are then provided with the opportunity to attend another camp, this time to sit for their Class 10th and 12th exams. These camps are similar to the earlier camps. The Camps have also commenced coaching classes for girls wanting to sit for their Class 10th and 12th board exams. Being a matriculate can change a lot in the life of an ordinary rural woman. Trained female teachers live with the girls in the camp. We are also running residential vocational training camps for those girls who cannot continue their education further due to social and family problems like early edge marriage, distances from school and other reasons.
A platform outside the camp where in the Balika Shivir pass outs and other government school girls share and spread their knowledge and experience among other illiterate girls in the community .This Girl’s Forum is another innovation of UJS in its female literacy campaign and today has a presence in more 60 villages with government Senior higher Secondary School. It also paved the way for setting up of a residential camp for girls wanting to pass through Class 10th and 12th. These Ballika Manchs meet monthly or by monthly and through them domestic,social,women health,education related problem,personal hygiene issues are discussed, shared and efforts made at resolving them. Health education is a priority and so is encouraging other village girls to get enrolled in schools or the shivirs. The Ballika Manch, further to consolidate their position, hold annual camps or Samagam lasting four days at block level and for one day at village level ,during which various subjects are discussed and information disseminated including on
Besides there are fun programs such as plays, sports, songs, film screening etc. Enabling the girls with income generating skills is not ignored. The Shivirs have taken care to incorporate vocational training, mainly comprising of sewing, in the curricula. Started from 2003, two camps of 50 days each are having 50 girls held each year to enable the girls generate some income for themselves.
For above activities parents contribute some cash or in kind like wheat, rice, vegetables, milk, curd etc., for the education of their child to help meet the costs of the camp. The contribution gives them assent of ownership, participation and enables them to demand quality services.
| Time Period | Activity |
|---|
