Education - Rakesh Jain School - EmpowHER India

We are taking education beyond traditional methods.

One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.

- Malala Yousafzai

A commonly held belief in rural areas is that the cost of education is wasted on a girl because her earning potential is lesser as compared to a male child and that she would be domesticated post-marriage. Rakesh Jain Madhyamik Vidyamandir (RJMV) is our government-aided co-ed semi-English medium school in Panvel - for the last 23 years, this school stands as a beacon of hope for the girl child.

Even today girls are often denied their right to education, employability and financial independence, which perpetuates gender discrimination and stifles their potential. empowHER India has courageously taken up the cause of empowering girls and ensuring equal access to education through Rakesh Jain Madhyamik Vidyamandir. With humble beginnings, our school started with only a handful of students and 3 classrooms in the year 2000. However, it has grown exponentially over the years, now accommodating 450 students as of 2023. RJMV, education is not limited to textbooks and exams alone. We have embraced a holistic approach, nurturing students' talents in arts, culture, and sports, while also equipping them with vocational skills for employability in the future.

Our progressive approach with an emphasis on extra-curriculars has yielded remarkable results, with an impressive pass percentage of over 90 percent in the Secondary School Certificate exams. The impact of empowHER India's efforts goes beyond academic achievements, as they strive to provide a safe, secure, and inclusive environment for children to flourish and realize their true potential.

In a society that often marginalizes and restricts the dreams of girls, empowHER India stands as a testament to the transformative power of education.

By championing the cause of girls' education and breaking the chains of gender discrimination, we are paving the way for a brighter and more equitable future, where every child can thrive and fulfill their aspirations.

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SCHOOL WaSH

Sanitation for Government Schools

After building over 2500 individual household toilets, empowHER transitioned to building toilets in government schools to ensure girls continue schooling, especially during adolescence. Since 2021, we built 6 toilets that provided sanitation access to 1100+ children. The goal of our School WaSH Program is to ensure that girls stay in school by providing them with safe spaces to relieve themselves with dignity while also promoting their health and hygiene.

SETU

Adolescent Girl Program

After 30 years of grassroots-level initiatives, empowHER realized that to make women reach their true potential, we must start young! So we built a program that impacts and shapes mindsets in the adolescent phase. We impart life skills like financial literacy, gender equality, safety, critical healthcare, and more such intangible yet indispensable skills. SETU’s goal is simple- to ensure that girls grow up to become strong, resilient adults who have the confidence to negotiate for their own wellbeing.