Vacha Charitable Trust's Gender Curriculum for Adolescent Girls & Teachers

Date: 2024 - Currently Under Progress

Location: Mumbai, India 

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The Vacha Trust Gender Programs aim to empower marginalized adolescents and build capacity among adult stakeholders, such as NGO workers and teachers, through a series of structured modules focusing on gender, health, and leadership. These programs address critical topics like sexual reproductive health, mental well-being, patriarchy, gender-based violence, and community action, using a participatory and activity-based approach. By fostering self-awareness, challenging social norms, and promoting health and safety, these programs seek to create an inclusive and equitable environment for both adolescents and adults.

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• Objective: Conceptualize and develop three distinct gender programs for adolescents and adult stakeholders, focusing on leadership, social action, health, and gender awareness.                                                                                      

• Program 1: Leadership and Social Action Program for Adolescents

  • Focus: Empower adolescents to explore self-awareness, identity, sexual reproductive health, mental health, gender, sexuality, patriarchy, power, violence, and their role in driving community change.

  • Structure: 7 modules with over 125 gender-focused activities aimed at fostering leadership and social action.                  

• Program 2: Residential Gender Training for NGO Workers, Teachers, and Adult Stakeholders

  • Focus: A 3-day intensive residential program to educate and train adult stakeholders on gender concepts, including patriarchy, power dynamics, and the legal aspects of gender-based violence, equipping them to work more effectively in their communities.                                                                                                                           

• Program 3: Gender and Health Training for Adolescents in Urban Slums

  • Focus: Provide gender and health education, emphasizing hygiene, safety, and personal well-being, to adolescents residing in urban slums.

  • Modules: Addressing topics like sexual reproductive health, mental health, and hygiene to improve overall adolescent health and gender understanding.                                                                                                     

• Capacity Building: In addition to program development, I conduct capacity-building sessions for Vacha Trust’s staff, enabling them to effectively deliver the gender training modules and engage with adolescents and adult stakeholders on gender and health topics.                                                                                                                                       

The project is currently in the module development and staff training phase, laying the foundation for implementation.