Send our Daughters to School (Aapni Ladali Ne School Bhejo)

Vikalp strongly believes that education gives girls the best possible chance of standing up for their rights and creating opportunities for themselves and their communities. Since 2004, Vikalp has been operating the “Send Our Daughters to School” campaign annually in four districts of Rajasthan, aiming to motivate girls to pursue higher education and to raise awareness about girls’ right to education. Every year, during the summer during the new/renewed admissions period in government schools, Vikalp staff members and volunteers identify students who have already dropped out – or are at risk of dropping out. These girls and their families are then contacted directly to ensure that they continue their studies. Vikalp assists the girls with school enrollment and monitors the status of their education over the years, thereby ensuring they remain in school. Due to the efforts of this campaign, more than 5200 girls in the project area have been enrolled in secondary education, through either open or mainstream schooling.

At the policy level, Vikalp organizes discussions with local government representatives, youth, teachers and parents about a girl’s right to education and the importance of pursuing higher studies. Vikalp also works with school administrations to improve the treatment of girls in schools, identify gender discrimination in the educational environment and to improve the quality of education for girls.

The campaign also publicly recognizes teachers and other individuals who actively help ensure that girls receive their education and better their future, a process which provides a positive example for communities to follow.

Girl’s education is a strategic development priority. Vikalp has been operating the “Send Our Daughters to School” campaign annually in our intervention area with the belief that better educated girls/women tend to be healthier, marry at a later age, enable better health care and education for their children, participate more in gender-based violence alleviation, and ensure an approach to decision making. Every year drop out and never enrolled girls get enrolled by the consistent efforts of community-based agents of change, parents and community members. Vikalp assists the girls in school enrollment and ensures retention through regular follow up. Such campaigns achieve remarkable impact in increasing enrolment ratio of girls in schools.

Vikalp has been able to convince local Government representatives, School administration, Parents, Youth and community members to support and provide possible platforms, a sense of why can’t she/ she can, better resource facilities for girls in family, community and schools, on account of which the flag of late marriage is hoisting in operational areas.