Udayan Shalini Fellowship

Udayan Care, a public Charitable Trust, headquartered in New Delhi, has drawn a unique education- cum-mentoring programme for girls from underserved sections of society, called Udayan Shalini Fellowships, based on varied and multi-layered disadvantages that girls face in education which underlines that there is the complex interrelatedness between gender and other disparities which are deep rooted in the society. The USF program was borne in the context of keeping alive a mother's deep desire to educate her young daughter and build her a future, but her complete helplessness due to poverty restricted her in realizing the dream. The need to realize the dream sparked the beginning of the USF Programme.

Started when a girl is in class XI, the programme ensures that they complete their graduation and become a dignified, independent, socially responsible woman. It provides financial assistance to girls from weak socio-economic backgrounds, for secondary and tertiary education, personalised mentorship and workshops for developing their self-esteem, skills, career choices and employability, while fostering a sense of social responsibility in them and turns them into dignified women.

Beginning in 2002, with just 72 girls, the programme has expanded hugely and is presently working in 20 cities, in 21 chapters and has reached out to more than 8400 girls to ensure that no girl with the drive to learn is denied her dream, due to lack of support. With over 2500 girls already graduates in different disciplines, and vocations, and in prestigious jobs, in corporates, schools, colleges, and in NGOs, the rest of our girls, whom we call Shalinis (Dignified Women), are pursuing fields like Engineering, Medical, Chartered Accountancy, Company Secretary, Vocational, Nursing, and Computer Science, among others. 

Objectives

• To provide financial support to deserving but needy girl students from government and government aided schools to enable them to continue their education
• To provide individual attention, counselling and grooming through personalised mentoring to assure their overall mental, moral and over-all development
• To provide opportunity to widen their horizon of knowledge on various fields like career choices and social issues assailing our society
• To develop social sensitivity and a sense of responsibility, so that they give back once they become independent and start earning.

Target Group

The beneficiaries are girls from weaker economic background and government schools who wants to pursue higher education from class XI till they graduate

Key Features

• Direct financial disbursements to deserving but needy girl students from Grade XI through their undergraduate studies
• A structured 1:5 mentoring program to ensure their overall development, exposure, and informed career and life choices which includes family counselling and home visits
• A robust workshop curriculum and calendar that covers soft skills and personality development. .
• Employability training to enable the girls to become job-ready internships placements.
• A structured ‘paying it forward by volunteering’ programme of 50 hours, every year to develop social sensitivity includes awareness campaigns on social issues and peer mentoring new girls in the program

Constant interaction with families ensures their support to their daughter as they witness her growing ability to contribute to the family income and decisions.The strongest aspect of the programme is the working voluntary force in each chapter that runs the chapter as mentors, fundraisers and guides, ensuring long term local sustainability. Consisting of a diverse group of community leaders, corporate executives and senor educationists, each core committee forms the backbone of the program’s success. A strong alumni network supports this team and ensures a peer advisory group for life. 

Outcomes and Impact

• Higher Education and Empowerment: The girls are able to complete their higher studies (Graduation/ vocational studies) beyond school.  They become empowered to become socially, emotionally and economically independent.
• Increase in self-confidence, self-esteem and aspirations- The monthly and quarterly workshops held for Shalinis have renowned guest speakers from different fields that are instrumental in inspiring Shalinis to become an independent, confident and how to stand out in society.
• Ability to take independent decisions- After getting enrolled into USF programme the Shalinis have a better understanding of life due the monthly and quarterly workshop held which includes topic like self- esteem building, social values etc.
• Improved social wellbeing and quality of life - Due to financial and moral support provided by USF programs, the Shalinis will see an improved quality of life as they can continue their studies further.
• Increased respect in community – With the scholarship being provided to the Shalinis the community looks up to them with respect as they have earned it, they are able to continue their studies further. It has a further impact too. Other girls in the community also aspire to study and the families become supportive.
• Positive change in outlook of parents/ family members- Positive change in outlook of parents/ family members, community members, with the financial support being provided in form of Scholarship money, the parents have a positive outlook towards their girl education as they have financial support from USF program to continue their studies further; they also start understanding the value of education.
• Reduction in incidence of early marriage of Shalinis- Reduction in incidence of early marriage of Shalinis, with the opportunity to continue their studies further, the parents have stopped forcing their daughter to get married as they see an opportunity for their daughters to continue their studies.
• Self-Reliant Shalinis- Self-Reliant Shalinis, with the help of workshops conducted for the Shalinis by USF programme the girls will be employable, self-independent, self-confident and ready to face their future with heads held high. This will pave a way to find appropriate jobs and get settled in their career.

1. Direct financial disbursements to deserving but needy girl students from Grade XI through their undergraduate studies.
2. A structured 1:5 mentoring program to ensure their overall development, exposure, and informed career and life choices which includes family counselling and home visits. A robust workshop curriculum and calendar that covers soft skills and personality development
3. Employability training to enable the girls to become job-ready internships placements. A structured ‘paying it forward by volunteering’ programme of 50 hours, every year to develop social sensitivity includes awareness campaigns on social issues and peer mentoring new girls in the program

Udayan Care is an Indian Non-Profit Organization (Public Charitable Trust) with special consultative status to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. Registered in 1994 as a Public Charitable Trust, Udayan Care works to empower vulnerable children, women, and youth, in 23 cities across 13 states of India.

Evolving from the creation of just one small family home (Ghar) for children without parental care in Delhi in 1996, there are now four established verticals, with unique programme strategies, aimed at supporting disadvantaged groups all across India: Child & Youth Care, Education, Livelihoods & Vocational Trainings, with the fourth vertical being that of Advocacy for Child Protection in Alternative Care space.

Through the power of mentorship, we nurture children without parental care, in the warmth of a simulated family environment at 17UdayanGhars, our long-term group homes. Girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to receive higher education, personalised mentoring and employability through our Udayan Shalini Fellowship Programme. Furthermore, we empower under-served youth to enhance their employability by providing job oriented courses in digital learning and other vocations at our Information Technology and Skill Centres across Delhi and NCR.