Sambhali Trust and IIFL Foundation Launch Initiative to Bridge Rajasthan's Education Gap

Sambhali Trust is proud to announce its partnership with the IIFL Foundation to launch the Sakhiyon Ki Baadi project, a value-based education initiative designed to empower young, marginalised girls in one of Rajasthan's most patriarchal regions. This collaboration represents a commitment to transforming a stark reality in the remote desert villages of the Sam and Sankara blocks of Jaisalmer district.

This project is a direct action to address the widespread poverty, gender inequality, and limited access to quality education that restrict girls' futures.

To combat these challenges, we have launched a robust and detailed initiative for a 12-month duration. We are establishing 50 informal educational centres known as Sakhiyon Ki Baadi Schools. The program is set to provide primary-level education and essential life skills to 1500 rural and marginalised girls between the ages of 4 and 16. These girls are specifically targeted as they are often school dropouts, irregular attendees, or have never been to school.

To run these centres effectively, we have recruited 50 women educators from local communities. They receive a 5-day induction training covering crucial topics like child psychology, gender sensitisation, and interactive teaching methods to align them with the project's vision. Students attend daily learning sessions for three hours , covering core subjects like Hindi, Mathematics, and English, alongside twice-weekly value education sessions on topics such as personal hygiene, environment conservation, and gender sensitization.

Recently, our collaboration provided 770 learning materials and essential supplies to our education centres. Our team ensured every education supply reaches its destination.

This crucial initiative is woven into the community's social fabric through monthly Parent-Teacher Meetings and Community Programs. This engagement is vital for achieving sustainable social change by encouraging community ownership, building awareness of the benefits of girls' education, and discussing the children's progress. By the project's end, a key focus is connecting these children to the mainstream education system so they can continue to bring change to their communities. Through this program, we are teaching girls to read and write, and planting seeds of confidence, courage, and compassion.