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Empowering girls through the Adolescent Girls Groups
Adolescent Girls Groups provide a safe, supportive environment where girls can speak openly, build confidence, and take steps toward shaping their futures.
In Child Activity centres across India, Railway Children India is creating safe spaces for girls to learn about important women’s health and safety topics and form vital support systems.
Date: 11th October 2024
What is the Adolescent Girls Group?
The Adolescent Girls Group is a cornerstone of the Children’s Activity Centres in India, aimed specifically at empowering girls aged 13-18.
These groups create a safe space where girls can openly express themselves and engage in conversations that may be difficult to have at home, around things like menstrual hygiene, personal safety, and other issues relevant to adolescent girls.
In many of the communities we serve, sensitive topics like menstruation and personal safety are often stigmatised, leaving girls feeling isolated and unprepared.
By offering this group, Railway Children India ensure girls have a platform to voice their concerns and access vital information, empowering them to lead confident, informed lives.
What do girls discuss in the Adolescent Girls Group?
No topic is off-limits – some of the most pressing issues discussed include:
- Self-defence training: Many girls have expressed interest in learning skills like karate to increase their personal safety.
- Unsafe streets: A lack of adequate street lighting in their neighbourhoods increases the risks girls face when walking home after dark.
- Sanitation issues: Poor sanitation facilities and non-functional toilets are significant concerns that impact the health and well-being of girls in these communities.
These discussions help girls to address immediate needs while advocating for long-term change.
Addressing menstrual health and hygiene
Menstrual health is a critical focus of Railway Children India’s work with adolescent girls.
Many of the girls in their programmes have limited knowledge about safe menstrual hygiene practices and often feel embarrassed when menstruating for the first time.
Through group sessions, girls are provided with essential education on menstrual health, including the safe disposal of sanitary products and regular health check-ups to monitor conditions such as anaemia.
The sessions help break down the stigma and myths surrounding menstruation in these communities, ensuring girls have access to the products and support they need to maintain good health.
Harini’s story
One inspiring story is that of Harini, a 15-year-old girl who stopped attending both school and the Adolescent Girls Group when she started menstruating.
She felt embarrassed and unprepared, which caused her to withdraw from her education and social life.
The other girls in the group noticed her absence and decided to visit her at home. After a supportive conversation and some peer encouragement, Harini felt empowered to re-join the group and return to school.
With the support of her peers, Harini now feels more confident to continue her education and pursue her goals.
Railway Children support beyond the Adolescent Girls Group
But the work doesn’t stop at the group level. Railway Children India extends its support through regular outreach visits to communities.
These visits aim to educate more adolescent girls on menstrual health, challenge taboos around menstruation and provide medical checks to ensure their overall well-being.
This outreach is essential to reach and support as many vulnerable girls as possible.
Thanks to your support, more girls are being empowered to break barriers and change their futures.
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