Bandipora:Education is the stepping stone for women empowerment. It is said when you educate a girl child, you educate an entire family. In a unique initiative, a women-led NGO ‘EK-SOCH’ sponsored the education for all students of Govt Girls High School in Naidkhai, Bandipore with the help of the Indian Army who played an instrumental role in providing the necessary liaison between the NGO team and school authorities.
The NGO ‘EK SOCH’ contacted Manasbal Rashtriya Rifles with their vision of sponsoring the education of a girl’s school in Kashmir to provide financial assistance, individual mentorship & counselling by a team of five women that would truly empower and transform the lives of the young school-going girls. This program had come to fruition based on a comprehensive need-analysis of the school to complement the infrastructural and financial support of the State Govt.
In this initiative, the school fees for one year for all 85 girls of the school were sponsored by the NGO alongwith other amenities like sports and science equipment were provided to encourage the holistic development of the children. The rationale behind this support is that the girls should receive quality education thereby enhancing their motivation for better personality development to chase their dreams and compete at higher levels. During the event, the trainers from the NGO also created awareness on various aspects related to women helping them to carve a positive self-image and boost their confidence levels.
This day will be forever etched in the hearts and minds of these young girls and was highly appreciated by the students and parents of the school. This thoughtful initiative further strengthened the sterling bond between the Indian Army and the people of J&K in the quest for hope and a prosperous future.
