Educate Girls’ Team Balika plants 6000 saplings: Ek Pedh Balika Shiksha initiative

By Kush Sharma*
Educate Girls, a non-profit organisation committed to working for girls' education in rural India, organised a Plantation Drive as part of its initiative 'Ek Pedh Balika Shiksha ke Liye' to mark International Youth Day on August 12. The event witnessed over 4,700 volunteers, from Team Balik come together to plant 6,000 tree saplings across 3 states.
Undertaken by Educate Girl' devoted team of community volunteers, known as Team Balika, the theme of this impactful initiative was ‘Ek Pedh Balika Shiksha ke Liye’ translating to ‘A Tree for Girls’ Education’, aligning seamlessly with this year’s overarching theme of "Green Skills for Youth: Towards a Sustainable World”.
The plantation drive saw over 4,700 Team Balika members planting over 6000 tree saplings across the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. In addition to highlighting the importance of girls’ education, this initiative by Educate Girls also aimed at drawing focus towards its role in fostering sustainability and combating climate change.
As part of the event, volunteers not only planted trees but also engaged in informative sessions about the importance of green practices, encouraging sustainable behaviour in local communities. The drive aimed to sensitise young minds about the environment's fragility and the critical role they play in its preservation.
The "Ek Pedh Balika Shiksha ke Liye" initiative highlights how the connection between girls’ education and the promotion of sustainability and climate change mitigation is unequivocal, and how educated girls rise as formidable catalysts for tackling these issues. With access to quality education, these girls can go on to attain a heightened capacity to propel innovation and promote eco-friendly practices, thereby bringing about transformation within their communities.
"Our Ek Pedh Balika Shiksha ke Liye initiative goes beyond the act of planting trees. It aims to instil environmental sensitivity in young people, promote green skills and draw attention to how education and sustainability are interdependent. Our Team Balika firmly believes that an educated girl signifies more than just an empowered individual; she is a catalyst for positive transformation within her community and the world at large," stated Vikram Singh Solanki, Head of Field Operations, Educate Girls. “Embracing the profound theme of Green Skills For Youth on this year's International Youth Day, this drive strongly resonates with our commitment to driving change, as we collectively contribute to a better world for generations ahead," he further added.
Sunita Devi, Team Balika, Prayagraj District, shared her motivation for the initiative “Every individual has a duty to plant a tree in their life and take care of it. By planting trees in larger numbers, we can conserve the environment. Due to continuous deforestation, environmental pollution is increasing. Through this initiative, we will create awareness in society for both girls’ education and a greener future.
Founded by visionary leader Safeena Husain in 2007, Educate Girls is a non-profit organisation committed to bridging the gender gap and mobilising communities for girls’ education in India’s rural and educationally backward areas. Working in partnership with the government, Educate Girls currently operates in over 21,000 villages of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
---
*Junior Consultant, Educate Girls

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Where’s the urgency for the 2,000 MW Sharavati PSP in Western Ghats?

By Shankar Sharma* A recent news article has raised credible concerns about the techno-economic clearance granted by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) for a large Pumped Storage Project (PSP) located within a protected area in the dense Western Ghats of Karnataka. The article , titled "Where is the hurry for the 2,000 MW Sharavati PSP in Western Ghats?", questions the rationale behind this fast-tracked approval for such a massive project in an ecologically sensitive zone.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

Structural retrogression? Steady rise in share of self-employment in agriculture 2017-18 to 2023-24

By Ishwar Awasthi, Puneet Kumar Shrivastav* The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) launched the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) in April 2017 to provide timely labour force data. The 2023-24 edition, released on 23rd September 2024, is the 7th round of the series and the fastest survey conducted, with data collected between July 2023 and June 2024. Key labour market indicators analysed include the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Worker Population Ratio (WPR), and Unemployment Rate (UR), which highlight trends crucial to understanding labour market sustainability and economic growth.

Venugopal's book 'explores' genesis, evolution of Andhra Naxalism

By Harsh Thakor* N. Venugopal has been one of the most vocal critics of the neo-fascist forces of Hindutva and Brahmanism, as well as the encroachment of globalization and liberalization over the last few decades. With sharp insight, Venugopal has produced comprehensive writings on social movements, drawing from his experience as a participant in student, literary, and broader social movements.

Authorities' shrewd caveat? NREGA payment 'subject to funds availability': Barmer women protest

By Bharat Dogra* India is among very few developing countries to have a rural employment guarantee scheme. Apart from providing employment during the lean farm work season, this scheme can make a big contribution to important needs like water and soil conservation. Workers can get employment within or very near to their village on the kind of work which improves the sustainable development prospects of their village.

'Failing to grasp' his immense pain, would GN Saibaba's death haunt judiciary?

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The death of Prof. G.N. Saibaba in Hyderabad should haunt our judiciary, which failed to grasp the immense pain he endured. A person with 90% disability, yet steadfast in his convictions, he was unjustly labeled as one of India’s most ‘wanted’ individuals by the state, a characterization upheld by the judiciary. In a democracy, diverse opinions should be respected, and as long as we uphold constitutional values and democratic dissent, these differences can strengthen us.

94.1% of households in mineral rich Keonjhar live below poverty line, 58.4% reside in mud houses

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak* Keonjhar district in Odisha, rich in mineral resources, plays a significant role in the state's revenue generation. The region boasts extensive reserves of iron ore, chromite, limestone, dolomite, nickel, and granite. According to District Mineral Foundation (DMF) reports, Keonjhar contains an estimated 2,555 million tonnes of iron ore. At the current extraction rate of 55 million tonnes annually, these reserves could last 60 years. However, if the extraction increases to 140 million tonnes per year, they could be depleted within just 23 years.

Search This Blog