Kanyashree

In West Bengal, so in Purulia Kanyashree is not only a cash transfer but also a motivational scheme to bring about changes and institutionalize the development of Adolescents Girls as change agents. Moreover District Administration left no stones unturned to this vision of the societal change attempts in improving the lives of the Adolescent Girls through innovative programmes.

Since 2015, and beyond District Administration Purulia took to the task of mainstreaming the adolescent Kanyashree girls to schooling and other allied activities. Recently for mainstreaming, the district administration has perceived Kanyashree’s as change agents, not only for them but for their peer groups as well as for the whole community. The District Administrations looks upon the Adolescent development on a holistic approach by providing scopes and platforms to the Kanyashree Girls. Starting from education to self defence, vocational trainings to social voicing for their own needs and aspirations have been the approach .

The district provided life skill and other training and special honour to successful Kanyashree club leaders and socially recognized them as “Kanyashree Bordi”. Regularized Second Saturday meetings with block administrations, SHG Clusters heads to unearth the young voices of the adolescents and then finding out solutions to their needs and problems. Bordis’ are portrayed as saviours, knowledge brokers and harbingers of new ideas for their community.

The trainings conducted through Bhavan’s includes Banking Literacy, Agriculture, Animal Resource, Domestic Volume , Cushion making etc. Block Level Resource Hubs for adolescent girls named ‘Kanyashree Bhawans’ turned to venue of undertaking many trainings and meetings. Kanyashree Buildings created a niche for Adolescent Girls and served as a training venue for various capacity building Programmes and meetings on issues like Menstrual Hygiene, Nutrition, Child Protection, Child Trafficking, life skill development etc. Kanyashree Radio Programmes have also been arranged on frequent intervals, On 24th January 2020 to observe the National Girl Child Day the District Magistrate arranged for live phone in programmes with Kanyashree Girls. This programme reached out to nearly 93000 listeners through community and web Radio stations.

Kanyashree Beta Sabha started in 2017 in Purulia, is used as a platform for adolescent girls to share their stories with their peers. Girls from different Kanyashree Clubs (formed through Project support) came and shared their stories on Nityananda Janavani, the Community Radio Station managed by MANT, an implementing partner of the AEP in Purulia. The sabhas were held every quarter and on special days like Kanyashree divas, Menstrual Hygiene Day and Women’s Day. These audio capsules were also played during group meetings for wider dissemination. Kanyashree Betar Sabhas are held on topics like Kanyashree Prakalpa, Kanyashree Club, Child Marriage, Drop out & enrollment, MHM and on other adolescent issues. The radio programmes were further disseminated through narrow casting. More than 53,000 adolescents and adults reached out through.

In October 2020, a special episode of the Kanyashree Betar Sabha programme adolescent girl was involved through the UNICEF CRY supported AEP programme Child marriage and importance LGG Modules in improving lives of adolescent girls through the SAG KP Progarmme under ICDS was held which showed 4 adolescent girls involvement.

On 12th January, 2020, District administration continued the Football Tournament with Kanyashree Girls’ at the district level after conducting subdivision level competitions. Since April 2020, at many blocks the girls came forward in making masks and developing hand wash and also assisted them in community distribution through peer groups. During Lock down in the last year District Authority organized Covid testing at the Bhavan.
Although initiated the whole effort massive lock down have hindered the prolonged and sustained interventions to the Kanyashree Plus programmes by Govt and development partners are being abruptly halted. District Authority is waiting eagerly to renew these peer Kanyashree clubs and continue programmes through Kanyashree Bhavan’s as the COVID situation improves and schools reopen.