A new Swabhiman project started it activities in the Damunagar area in Kandivali East, Mumbai. The people living in the area are uneducated, underserved and mostly work as daily wage laborers. Women have less or no privileges in this area and seldom take care of their well being. Through this project the Swabhiman team of Smile Foundation aspires to generate awareness on the issues of reproductive and sexual health covering safe motherhood, child health, family planning, RTI/STI, HIV-AIDS among adolescent girls and young married women, sensitize adolescent girls on gender issues through Swabhiman Volunteers who will be imparted Life Skill Education (LSE) including communication and negotiation skills, build confidence and assertiveness in adolescent girls and young women to challenge the gender stereotypes in demanding and accessing products and services that they need to improve their health and social status.
The project also aims to provide financial support to underprivileged meritorious girl students of towards achieving their academic goals and also improve the self-esteem and confidence of scholars through leadership development workshops and regular mentoring.
Approximately 5000 women and adolescent girls will be reached through this extensive approach of Swabhiman programme.
Swabhiman, meaning self-respect in English, was initiated in 2005 to address these challenges through a simple yet effective approach. The programme is specifically aimed at realization of both individual and collective self-esteem and inner strength for marginalised and socially excluded women and adolescent girls through innovative community practices.