We aim to empower adolescent girls and boys by addressing the socio-economic and cultural barriers which prevent them from reaching their full potential. Our research into adolescent health has informed the discourse around their vulnerabilities and the potential to create an enabling environment for them at home, and within their communities. Our innovations have specifically focused on empowering them to develop self-confidence, collectivise, and create change for themselves and their peers, while engaging their parents and decisionmakers to support them in a community-wide movement for social change.
Sphoorthi Girl-Leads-Girl initiative (2018 onwards)
Sphoorthi Girl-Leads-Girl initiative (2018 onwards)
Sphoorthi is an adolescents’ empowerment initiative, a peer-to-peer life skills-based empowerment approach to develop role models from backward communities with the ability to pioneer positive attitudes and address discriminatory gender norms in order to reduce school dropouts, decrease child marriage, reduce gender-based violence and improve nutrition and menstrual hygiene.
Initially implemented in 51 villages in Koppal district, Sphoorthi was instrumental in bringing down the rates of child marriage in the district between rounds four and five of the National Family Health Survey by nine points. The Chief Minister of Karnataka announced its scale-up in the five Aspirational/Special Development Program talukas in the districts of Belagavi, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Kalaburagi and Raichur.
Vulnerability Mapping Framework for adolescents (2019)
Vulnerability Mapping Framework for adolescents (2019)
Based on our extensive experience working with adolescent girls, understanding their needs and aspirations, we developed a vulnerability mapping framework in consultation with seven Indian states to identify the most vulnerable adolescents at the state and district levels. The framework was submitted to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.