Beena, Meena, Riya and Shatabdi, these four courageous girls from West Bengal, are associated with the ‘Kanyashree Project’ project for education and self-reliance, and are writing their future with their own hands, standing strong against social evils. The ‘Kanyashree Prakalp’ project, launched in 2013 in collaboration with UNICEF, is a cash transfer scheme of the Government of West Bengal to help needy girls achieve their dreams by giving them conditional cash grants.
.This scheme has come as a ray of hope in the lives of adolescent girls. By providing financial incentives to adolescent girls to continue their education, child marriage of girls from vulnerable groups is curbed and their social and economic empowerment is possible. These four girls have now become a unique example of empowerment in the society. Kanyashree has shown them the way to fulfill their dreams by giving them respect, education and living an independent life. Beena: Struggle against marriage at an early age. Beena wanted to win medals by playing like her elder sisters. For Beena, the ‘Kanyashree Prakalp’ scheme was like a shield that saved her from the evil prevalent in her community, that is, early marriage. Growing up with five siblings, Beena had seen her father struggle alone to raise her children after her mother’s death. But instead of succumbing to the pressure of marrying at an early age, Beena chose a different path for herself. “I wanted to play like my elder sisters and win medals,” says Beena. The Rs 1,000 I received annually under the Kanyashree K-1 scheme helped me pay my school fees and focus on sports. An excited Beena thanked Kanyashree and said, “Because of Kanyashree, I got an early Refused to marry. Now I encourage other girls in the community to do the same.” The cash provided by the scheme has helped the girls continue their schooling. Kanyashree Yojana, through financial assistance, has helped countless girls pursue higher education, opening up new opportunities and breaking the cycle of poverty, reducing the pressure on girls to marry at an early age. Meena: Pursuant to higher education Meena’s ambition is to study to become a nurse. In many areas of West Bengal, the evil practice of child marriage has been going on for a long time. Due to social norms, religious practices and economic pressure, families are often forced to marry their daughters at an early age. This has a negative impact on the education, health and future of adolescent girls. Kanyashree Yojana aims to tackle this issue by helping girls complete schooling, and preventing girls from marrying until they legally turn 18. Meena asserts, “Kanyashree Yojana has It has not only helped me in continuing my studies, but has also shown me the way to get rid of the evil practices like child marriage prevalent in my family and society.” For girls like Meena, Kanyashree Yojana is like a ray of hope, which has helped them They have given wings to fulfill their dreams by breaking social and family barriers. The youngest of five siblings, Meena’s three elder sisters got married soon after completing school. But Meena did not approve of this. To fulfill her ambitions, she got the support of Kanyashree K-2 Scheme and took a bold step to secure her future. Meena took admission in college for higher education with the 25 thousand rupees received under this scheme. Also, to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, she bought a laptop to help her study. Riya: Financial Literacy and Self Defense Training Riya, a class 8 student, is taking self defense training at her school by joining the Kanyashree Club . Riya, a class 8 student, got the path to her future from the Kanyashree Club running in her school. This club is a part of Kanyakshree Prakalp Yojana, through which training like leadership skill development, financial literacy, and self-defense are provided. By receiving training at Kanyashree Club, Rhea also taught her family about cyber security and financial security. . Riya says, “Kanyashree has given me the courage to take informed decisions and stand up for myself.” “By coming to the club, I learned how to budget, which helps in saving money. Now I am able to manage my family’s household finances. “Helps in management.” Kanyashree Clubs were formed to help teenage girls develop various skills such as conversation, learning and leadership. These clubs also included activities like sports, self-defence training, running financial literacy workshops, as well as workshops on child rights and cyber security issues. Awareness campaigns are also run. Participating in various club activities helps girls build self-confidence, develop a sense of belonging and gain many important life skills. This empowers them to make choices and contribute positively to their communities. Shatabdi: A Wave of Change Shatabdi is an NGO working to raise awareness about Kanyashree Project in her village and empower other girls to achieve their dreams. Work in. Shatabdi’s life is a unique example of determination, ambition and the desire to do something different. Growing up in a poor family, Shatabdi’s troubles increased further when her father suffered from mental health problems. Despite poverty and adverse domestic circumstances, Shatabdi did not give up her education. With the financial assistance of Rs 25,000 from Kanyashree K-2, Shatabdi completed her school education and despite difficult circumstances got married at the age of 19 and completed her postgraduate degree. Achieved.Having brought about a change in her life with the help of Kanyashree Yojana, Shatabdi is today engaged in making other girls of her village aware. She is working with an NGO to help girls achieve their dreams and stand on their own feet. Towards a brighter future Swapnodipa Biswas, UNICEF’s child protection officer in West Bengal, says, “UNICEF, with this conditional We began our journey with Kanyashree in 2013, collaborating with the Government of West Bengal to design a financial assistance scheme.” And focused on building a sustainable model to increase its impact.” “After launch, we deepened our collaboration with the district administration and focused on empowering girls by organizing workshops on topics like education, skills, self-defense, behavior change etc. The Kanyashree Prakalp scheme is ongoing and has provided hope to countless girls in West Bengal. Giving light.