Working towards gender equality
Adolescents aged 12-16 have additional needs and concerns, particularly when it comes to issues related to gender. In slum communities, many of the children have limited resources when it comes to seeking answers about health, hygiene, changes during puberty, safety, gender equality, and healthy interpersonal relationships.
To address these issues, we hold monthly meetings that provide a safe, gender-specific space where adolescents can openly talk about their concerns.

Programs for Girls
Through subtle activities and discussions that address gender discrimination, we teach the girls how to express themselves when they feel they are being treated unfairly. We also help de-stigmatize menstruation so they don’t miss school once a month, and teach them about safe hygienic practices. We further empower our girls through Wenlido (personal safety) training. Taught only by women to women and girls, Wenlido doesn’t just teach girls how to protect themselves from physical and emotional abuse, it focuses on the development of their overall well-being. More importantly, the training allows them to find their inner strength, and shows them how to use it to take charge of their own lives..
Programs for Boys
A crucial, often-overlooked element to empowering girls is the sensitization of boys. Through monthly sessions for adolescent boys, we instill in them empathy for girls, which in turn instills respect, which makes them view girls as equals. Our activities and discussions help them internalize the struggles girls and women undergo during menstruation, childbirth, or even walking down a dark alleyway by themselves.