MANGALORE: The UNICEF has introduced a unique scheme which envisages
formation of Meena Clubs aimed at instilling confidence in the girl child and making her
bold and confident.
Already, the scheme has been implemented in Zilla Panchayat higher primary schools in
Dakshina Kannada district.
One successful attempt of the Meena Club is to re-enroll as many as 19 children of
migratory labourers to the Kodikal Higher Primary School.
“Meena Club has a total of 20 members of whom 10 are girls, five boys and five other
children who have been out of school for a pretty long duration. The Club will have a
female leader who is termed the motivator or Preraki. Formation of such clubs will instill
confidence, courage, improve communication skills and instill life skills, values and
leadership qualities in the girls,†says Geeta Devadas, Assistant Project Officer of Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan.
The main objective of the club is to create awareness on hygiene and health, membership
drive, door-to-door visit to houses of children in trouble, holding children’s gram sabha
and creating awareness among the children on social evils like dowry, child marriage,
gender discrimination and child labour.
“The Club even organizes entertainment programmes and arranges programmes on
special occasions like Mother’s Day, Grand Mother’s day, etc,†explains Geetha
Devadas.
S Chamegowda, Deputy Director of Public Instructions says the DK District Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan was patronizing this club and would extend a financial aid of Rs 9000
to each club. The scheme has been implemented in the about 652 higher primary schools
in the district, he said.
Rakshitha Prabhu is the motivator of Meena Club of Gandhinagar Higher Primary
School, and she says her club has already chalked out several programmes for the year.
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