Education for Vulnerable Girls in Amritsar (India)

In India, the Dalit caste is the lowest within the Indian caste system, many of whom are politically powerless and living in poverty. Girls are more disadvantaged than boys in terms of access to education, as a poor family will choose to pay for the advancement of male children.

We support a girls’ hostel, enabling vulnerable girls to access high-quality education, accommodation, and care during the school term to holistically support their growth and development.

As well as education, the girls are also supported to participate in extra-curricular activities including celebrations/festivals and local outings, as well as sports, dance, singing, music and cooking. The girls access regular health check-ups and participate in information sessions on health and hygiene practices. As many of the girls are ‘half-orphans’, which means they are children of single parents, new activities are being introduced to ensure healthy transitions towards adulthood, including life skills and counselling to develop emotional resilience.

The hostel supports the girls to maintain close family ties and spend as much time as possible in their home communities during school breaks. Our support also includes training in planning, management and child-protection. Safeguarding and inclusion initiatives are being strengthened in the project design.

Our Impact

Every year since this project started, we have been providing hostel accommodation and remedial education to 25 to 30 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds, enabling them to succeed in their schooling. The project is now seeing students graduate from high school and continue their links with the Hostel as they attend tertiary education or training.