Innovative Girls Education Program by the Trust for Reaching the Unreached (TRU), Gujarat

Location
Shivrajpur, Vadodara, Gujarat, India

Summary of the Project
This flagship residential education program provides comprehensive academic support and holistic development opportunities for tribal girls in standards 9-12. Operating since 2004-05, the program combines hostel accommodation with intensive academic coaching, life skills training, health education, and cultural activities to enable girls from marginalized tribal communities to excel in formal education and break intergenerational cycles of poverty and limited opportunity.

Issues Addressed

• Educational deficiency: Tribal girls are unable to perform basic arithmetic or language skills appropriate to their grade level
• Gender discrimination: Limited educational opportunities for girls compared to boys in tribal communities
• Migration challenges: Families migrating for livelihood, forcing girls to drop out or never enroll in school
• Child labor and early marriage: Girls are pulled from school to care for siblings, help with household work, or get married young
• Lack of academic support: Inadequate teaching in government schools leaves students far behind curriculum expectations
• Health vulnerabilities: Issues including sickle cell disease, tuberculosis, malnutrition, and childbirth complications
• Adjustment challenges: First-generation learners struggling with hostel discipline, shared spaces, and structured study schedules
• Social emergencies: Family crises (parental illness/accidents) forcing girls to leave education

Approach Taken

• Residential model: Providing safe hostel accommodation near high school, eliminating daily commute barriers
• Intensive academic coaching: Extra classes addressing primary and secondary curriculum deficiencies
• Multi-subject support: Dedicated teachers for humanities, languages, math, and science
• Virtual learning integration: Online classes for English grammar and reading skills from external volunteers
• Life skills curriculum: 11 sessions annually covering self-awareness, emotional coping, empathy, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and interpersonal relationships
• Library-based learning: Emphasis on extracurricular reading and storybooks for broader knowledge
• Health education: Regular adolescent health sessions led by medical professionals
• Holistic development: Festival celebrations, film screenings, cultural activities ,creating well-rounded experiences
• Provisional admission system: Reducing dropout by confirming commitment before final enrollment

Solutions

• Educational infrastructure: Fully equipped hostel with separate classrooms, library, auditorium, dining hall with proper furniture
• Teaching staff: Residential teacher (Rs. 18,750/month) plus part-time subject specialists (Rs. 5,000/month each)
• Student support: Educational materials (Rs. 325/girl), clothing/accessories (Rs. 600/girl), and comprehensive living costs
• Specialized programs: Math-Science teacher (Ms. Nitisha) providing critical subject support
• Technology integration: Projector and sound system enabling film screenings and virtual classes
• Health monitoring: Regular check-ups and life skills education by Dr. Dhwani Ravi and Dr. Chitra Pandya
• Nutritional support: Rs. 500/month food budget per girl, ensuring adequate nutrition
• Festival integration: Celebrating major and minor festivals to maintain cultural connection

​Impact

• Academic Excellence (2023-24 Results):
  • 86% of Standard 10 girls scored above 60% in State Board exams
  • Top performer: One girl achieved 91% marks, ranking first in the school and the taluka
  • Standard 12 achievement: 84% (16 of 19 girls) scored above 60%; the highest scorer achieved 81%
  • Overall pass rate: 97% (98 of 102 girls) passed annual exams across all standards
  • Consistent top rankings: Girls regularly placing in the top 5 school ranks
• Long-term Career Outcomes:
  • Nursing careers: Multiple graduates pursuing and completing nursing education
  • Technical skills: Girls trained in computer classes and tailoring
  • Entrepreneurship: Some graduates are running their own village shops
  • Government employment: Alumni working as ASHAs (health workers), AWW (Anganwadi workers), and other programs
  • Intergenerational impact: Each educated girl positively affects 10-12 people across two families

• Program Scale and Sustainability:
  • 20 years of operation: Consistent program delivery since 2004-05
  • 2,000+ girls served: Cumulative enrollment from 11 girls (2005-06) to current 87 girls
  • 87 girls currently enrolled (2024-25): 29 in Std 9, 30 in Std 10, 13 in Std 11, 15 in Std 12
  • 90% retention rate: Only 10 of 97 girls dropped out during 2024-25, mostly due to unavoidable circumstances
  • Strong support system: 2 caretakers, 1 warden providing 24/7 residential care

• Holistic Development:
  • Life skills mastery: Girls demonstrating improved self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills
  • Cultural preservation: Participation in festivals, maintaining community connections while pursuing education
  • Health awareness: Better understanding of adolescent health, nutrition, and wellness
  • Confidence building: Girls are more confident in their academic abilities and self-expression
  • Leadership development: Some girls are taking on mentoring roles for younger students

• Systemic Change:
  • Community perception shift: Increasing recognition of girls' education value in tribal communities
  • Breaking the migration cycle: Educated girls are less likely to migrate for unskilled labor
  • Economic mobility: Graduates are achieving better financial outcomes than the previous generation
  • Social status improvement: Education elevates girls' and families' standing in the community