Kishori Utkarsh Pahel (KUP), an adolescent girls health awareness and leadership building initiative, has launched the Ankleshwar Block beginning with a 'Training of Master Trainers' session in which 69 teachers from 59 villages of Ankleshwar were trained to deliver sessions to adolescent girls aged between 10 to 19 years about six crucial modules: nutrition, health and hygiene, menstrual hygiene, acts and rights, government schemes, and life skills.

Additionally, two subjects, “Millets - Its importance and integration in their daily lives”, in alignment with PM’s Shree Anna or Millet Year and, “Financial Literacy” to empower adolescent girls to lead an independent and informed future were emphasized during the course.

The project was launched on Sept 11-12, 2023 in the Ankleshwar Block covering 84 schools and 59 villages, beginning with a 'Training of Master Trainers' session in which 69 educators were trained to deliver sessions to adolescent girls. 

Kishori Utkarsh Pahel is an initiative of Bharuch District Administration, supported by DCM Shriram Foundation and implemented by BharatCares (by SMEC Trust). This collaborative project is also supported by ICDS and District Women and Child Development Department, Bharuch; District Primary, Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Department, Bharuch; and District Health Department, Bharuch.

This initiative is a catalytic approach structured as an aspiration-building program among adolescent girls, both school-going and non-school-going. After the successful implementation of KUP in Jhagadia block of Bharuch in 2022-23, this ‘pahel’ is now envisioned to empower the adolescent girls of Ankleshwar taluka and aim to develop future women leaders.

The training for master trainers was delivered by industry experts Dr. Palak Kapadia, Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Kapadia Clinic, Bharuch who conducted sessions on Health and Hygiene and Menstrual Health. Vivian Christian, District Child Protection Officer, Bharuch briefed the trainers on laws related to children and government initiatives for the adolescents.

Hetvi Shah from UNICEF Gujarat, represented Impact4Nutrition platform to deliver the module on Nutrition and Kashmira Sawant, District Women and Child Development Officer, Bharuch covered government schemes for women.

The training will be followed by outreach of KUP at three levels: School level with a focus on school-going Kishoris; Anganwadi level which would focus on non-school going Kishoris; and community level, which would emphasize on raising awareness about the project amongst parents of adolescent girls to give a holistic community reach to the initiative in Ankleshwar taluka in the next few months.

During the Kishoris' training, their assessments would be done at two levels: micro - which would be done after each module's training, and macro - which would be done after all six modules had been completed which would include communication and presentation skills, critical thinking and other technical skills. Following that, one Kishori would be chosen based on her performance during the training sessions and awarded the title of Gram Jagrut Kishori who would represent her village in several capacities in the following year.