In their teens, these girls from Dharavi homes, mostly from the lower socio-economic strata, have found a new hangout in the office and training centre of the Kishori Adolescent Empowerment Project. The joint project by the Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI), UNICEF, Integrated Child Development Scheme, Sneha, Intergold gems and the Lokmanya Tilak Municipal general Hospital in Sion, was started in 2001 to make young girls conscious of reproductive health-related issues.

As many as 1,600 girls aged between 15 years and 19 years were enrolled with the help of anganwadi workers who were trained to look for reproductive health-related issues by a team of doctors. At the outset, the girls filled out a questionnaire to gauge their knowledge, awareness and attitude towards reproductive health. As the girls underwent regular health checkups, they took home information on the importance of maintaining good hygiene, health tips, haemoglobin levels and more. Soon, iron and folic acid supplements followed.

Two years later, realizing that it was important to have the girls coming back to the centre. “The project was about empowering the girl, which did not just mean physical empowerment of letting them look after their health. It also meant making them financially independent,” says Dr Duru Shah, convenor of the Kishori project. “That is when we started vocation classes too.”

The vocational training provided is such that the girls can work from home, so the families don’t object to them coming to the center for training.

“We have just started teaching them basics in computers; they can get jobs like data entry operators,” explains coordinator Prachi Bhosale.

A visibly excited 19-year-old Rani Khan nods in agreement. “Maine yahan mehendi, beautician and fabric painting seekha. In fact, I’m giving training to other girls outside.”

Khan came to know of the centre from her cousin who had done similar courses. A Canossa night-school pass-out, Khan’s attachment to the centre is obvious when she says without hesitation: “Whatever they teach, I’ll surely learn. Now I want to learn how to use the computer.”

At the centre, two coordinators and two teachers train, supervise and encourage these girls. From the initial 1,600 girls, the team selected about ten who were trained as peer educators. UNICEF supported the education of the girls, since adolescents are also one of their core work areas. The tertiary care Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital also joined with its expert team of doctors to explain and train the first batch of 1,600.

Bhosale adds: “We get seven to eight girls together after the class and train them. Since there are doctors here, in case some of them mention menstrual or sexual problems, we refer them to the doctors.”

Saryo Yakub, a resident of the Matunga railway colony, had started attending the mehendi course but had to leave it midway. “I rejoined it after eight months and have completed the beautician’s course now. I will work at a beauty parlour in our locality,” she says.

Right now, the girls are gearing up for the annual certificate distribution ceremony to be held on January 3. The event will be attended by film actress Raveena Tandon. Looking forward to meeting her, Yakub says: “Unko dikhana chahate hain, Kishori ki ladkiyan ky kar sakti hain. (We want to show her, what the girls from Kishori can achieve.)”