Project Title: Leadership Training for Adolescent Girls in Marginalized Communities

Location: India

Grant Amount: $39,230.40 (over two years)

Grantee Website: www.vacha.org.in

Areas of Impact: Gender Equality, Leadership Development

Mission of Vacha Charitable Trust
‘Vacha’ means speech, articulation and self-expression. Vacha envisions a world without exploitation, oppression, discrimination and injustice against women. Its mission is to empower girls and sensitize boys to become adults who value equality and become productive citizens.

Summary
This program equips marginalized girls with the skills they need to become active leaders in their communities and affect community change. Vacha works with marginalized girls to expose them to knowledge, opportunities, and the world outside their slum so they complete their schooling through class 12 (senior level of high school), gain the skills, confidence, and experience that are essential for modern life, live in a safe environment, understand and access health and hygiene resources, have a voice in their family and community, have agency to participate in civic life, and delay marriage until they are over 18.

Why We Love This
We love this project because of its focus on grassroots empowerment and advocacy programs to enable girls between the ages of 10-18 rise above their circumstances. Vacha will help the girls identify and organize community events and social actions and use creative mediums to engage the community and initiate change. By locating the programs within the communities the girls live in, Vacha is ensuring buy-in from the community and building a more sustainable and successful model.