Palghar is one of the new districts in the state of Maharashtra in the Konkan Division. It is a district carved out of the old Thane district. As per the Census of 2011, it has a population of 2,990,116 with a predominantly tribal population. It is ranked 157th in the state of Maharashtra. Female Sex Ratio is 887 against the state average of 929. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Palghar is around 933 compared to Maharashtra state average of 894.

Selected Ashram Schools - (Shalas)

4 Ashram schools have been selected from Jawhar Taluka, situated in the tribal pockets of the Palghar district for children coming from the tribal community who are often cut off from mainstream development and Information affecting their lives.  The criterion for selection is based on the accessibility of information with reference to menstrual hygiene, nutrition and reproductive health care for the tribal’s adolescent girls in the Ashram schools.

Total no of beneficiaries - 800 tribal adolescent girls for Jawar Tehsil of Palghar District 

Looking at the 3 ‘E’s: 

1. Empower them with critical health information, on reproductive Health care, HIV and AIDs, tobacco chewing and early pregnancy. Thereby reducing problems associated with puberty and risky sexual behaviour amongst girls between the ages of 12 to 19 years.
2. Enable adolescent girls with information, knowledge, and skills affecting their life and enabling them to protect themselves better by making informed decisions and creating an atmosphere that will make them self-determined on various decisions through their life.
3. Equip adolescent girls with critical life-skills, vocational training, health education and counselling and building a gender-sensitive student community.

Focus on Gender

The project besides the above aims, will  also facilitate the process of developing awareness and capacity on gender issues; It will work closely with their male counterparts to creating awareness on issues affecting the Adolescent girls both at the domestic level  and at the community level and promote an environment for greater participation of woman  on a community level.

It is also an initiative to empower adolescent girls to say “No‟ to exploitation and safeguarding the best interests of the girl child in the proposed project area.

Impact - Outcome: 800 adolescent girls from 4 Ashramshalas will be empowered with the requisite knowledge, for healthy reproductive and social life, helping them to avoid risky sexual behaviour. 

800 adolescent girls from 04 Ashramshalas in Palghar will empowered with the requisite knowledge to live a healthy reproductive and social life which will help them avoid risky sexual behaviour. 

1. 800 Adolescent tribal girls in Palghar will enable and prevented from adopting risky sexual behaviour.
2. 80% of adolescent girls and boys gained knowledge on RH leading to improved behaviour/ practice
3. 90 % of the adolescent girls of the project area will see improvement in utilization of RH services
4. 70 % reduction in teenage pregnancies among adolescent girls in Ashram Shalas.
5. 90 % of adolescent girls and boys coming for voluntary counselling and treatment of RTI/STI
6. 70 % of girls and boys getting married after reaching 18 and 21 years of age respectively
7. The number of peer educators per 100 adolescents available to impart nutrition and health education and reproductive hygiene.
8. 90 % of adolescent girls who adopt hygienic practices during menstruation/reproduction.
9. 90 % of boys who observe penile hygiene.90 % of adolescent girls in the Ashram Shalas were able to protect and prevent unwanted pregnancy.
10. Behavioral Change Communication creating awareness and put in place Preventive measures thus creating a more protective environment against exploitation