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Girls' education has been an important topic of discussion in the country and in the global platform as well. Educating girls is important for the progress of the country in particular and the world at large. Yet, we have a long way to go to ensure girls have adequate access to education, healthcare, and basic human rights, especially in the rural communities. The unequal boy-girl ratio in education and arises out of several discriminatory factors directed towards girls. As we are celebrating our 75th Independence Day, let’s take a look at how CFTI is transforming rural communities and the lives of women.

Established in 2009, CFTI (Centre For Transforming India) is a registered NGO under the Indian Trusts Acts, 1882. It works towards empowering rural India through education, health care, and economic activities. And the number of development programmes it has for rural women folk, it can be counted among the most impactful NGO for women empowerment. CFTI’s involvement with the rural communities in Maharashtra brought to fore the need to enable girls and women in a practical and constructive way. But before that let’s look at some of the main issues faced by the girls and women in rural areas.

Hurdles in girls’  education:

Poverty: Often girls are not sent to school to complete their education or are withdrawn from education due to lack of financial resources.

Distance from home: Government schools are generally built in town areas, making it difficult for students to commute from villages on a daily basis. Taking the bus, train, or hitchhiking as a mode of daily transportation is uneconomical, inconvenient, and unsafe for children.

Gender discrimination: For decades, girls and boys have faced gender discrimination in the country. India, as a patriarchal society, prioritises the needs of boys over the needs of girls in all situations, including education. The majority of rural communities prefer to educate boys over girls with the idea that boys will grow up to be the earning members of the family whereas girls will be married off to another family.

Lack of toilets: Girls are more likely to contract various diseases if they do not maintain hygiene and cleanliness. Parents are afraid to send their children to school because there are no toilets.

Keeping the above points in mind, CFTI provides aid to rural women folks as an NGO for women empowerment.

CFTI to the rescue:

With the level of contribution the Centre For Transforming India (CFTI) has accomplished for the women of the rural community, there is no denial that it can be counted among NGO for women empowerment. Let's take a look at the plethora of ways in which this NGO for women empowerment has contributed towards the development of rural girls and women:

●      Skills Development Workshops: These workshops are designed to provide women from rural communities with the skills they need to become self-sufficient and financially independent. For example, every woman who undergoes tailoring training is given one sewing machine each to start their business. And upon revisiting these women, it was found that they have indeed made use of the skills and the sewing machines and have moved on to becoming tailors from being maids or dependent housewives. The NGO has held a variety of skill development and training workshops for women such as tailoring, beauty treatments, jewellery making, cooking, and candle-making and more. The NGO also spreads awareness on health and hygiene of women and has distributed sanitary pads to 400 women and girls during an awareness session on World Menstrual Day. So far, the NGO has empowered 4,500 women through their various skill development programmes.

●      Bicycle Donation: With the help of bicycle donation from generous donors, so far, this NGO has supported education by distributing 14,623 to rural underprivileged girls from several villages across Maharashtra. When you make a bicycle donation, you help a girl student in the following various ways:

- Make commute for girls easy and safe

- Save their time and money

- Reduce drop-out rate

- Facilitate return of girls to school and college

- Support completion of education

- Facilitate their engagement in developmental activities

- Promote gender equality

This Independence Day, partner with CFTI and choose to make a bicycle donation for these girls in rural communities.

Celebrate Freedom with CFTI:

This 75th Independence Day, celebrate freedom by partnering with an NGO working for women empowerment such as CFTI who is actively contributing towards the upliftment of rural girls and women. This year, stand with CFTI to fight all inequalities against girl child education. Offer wings of freedom to every girl child of this nation.

Author Profile:

Centre For Transforming India (CFTI) was established in 2009. It is a registered NGO under the Indian Trusts Act of 1882 and founded by passionate young individuals to bring in change by elevating the rural communities. With a team of over 700 volunteers, CFTI works for education, women empowerment, disaster relief, healthcare, etc. for the underprivileged. All contributions of ₹500 and above towards CFTI are applicable for exemption from income tax as per section 80G of the Income Tax Act.