In India, Rajasthan ranks third in the prevalence of child marriage. This practice drives early childbearing, dropping out of school, sexual exploitation, and domestic violence. Furthermore, the State also has the third highest adolescent fertility rate in the country. Besides the taboo & patriarchy which persist in society, Illiteracy, unawareness, and unemployability are the major causes of this problem.
Considering this, Manjari Foundation’s Udaan Project in partnership with CIFF (Children Investment Fund Foundation), IPE Global, and The YP Foundation, is working on designing an intervention, using the Human-Centred design approach, which will enable unmarried adolescents in Rajasthan to identify sexual and reproductive health issues, prevent risky behaviors, and seek help to improve their sexual and reproductive health.
Improving the knowledge, attitudes & behavior of girls & the community around sexual and reproductive health is one of our main strategies. To implement this strategy, we collaborate with Govt. Schools of block Bari conduct different sessions with the adolescent girls and boys of standard 9th to 12th.
We work to ensure that all adolescents and young people receive accurate information about their sexual and reproductive health and rights including gender, contraception, consent etc.
We advocate for comprehensive sexual education to enable girls and boys to develop the skills, knowledge, confidence, and ability to make free and informed choices about relationships and sexuality and to challenge discriminatory attitudes and gender norms.
Manjari Foundation focuses on improving the employability of youth from rural areas and underprivileged sections of society who do not have access to modern facilities and resources. Our youth development programmes therefore aim at identifying unemployed youths primarily from SHG families, who are eager to earn a better living but do not know how to start. With partnerships with some renowned organizations and institutions, these youths get quality training and become self-sufficient & self-reliant. We facilitate their access to career counseling, job-oriented training, and placement.
We orient the youth on Sex and Sexuality, gender equality, stereotypes, and belief, various types of gender-based violence, its effects on adolescents, and how to reduce the risk of gender-based violence and the possible ways to overcome it.
We provide knowledge on the importance of nutrition and a balanced diet in adolescent age and pregnancy, the food pyramid, the importance of a healthy lifestyle, etc., so that youth can adopt healthy practices for better growth.
We orient youth on the types of NCDs i.e. cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory disease, diabetes, hypoglycemia, cancer, etc., some reasons, facts, and misconceptions related to these diseases, healthy lifestyles to avoid the NCDs, various tests and reports to diagnose, and various govt. Schemes to support the patient.
This covers what is masculinity and its adverse impact on adolescents covers which includes no sharing of feelings by boys which leads to pressure and fear etc. Which affects their personal and professional life.
We orient youth about the importance of mental health in adolescent age, identifying mental health issues i.e. exam pressure, anxiety, fear of the unknown, change in body language, depression, excessive use of technology, etc.
We orient youth about the possible reasons for being addicted to toxic substances i.e. for being stylish and cool, for coming out of depression and mental health issues, broken relationships, fear, anxiety, etc., various misconceptions and facts on substance misuse, various laws, helpline, institutions and counseling support by the govt.
There are three themes we cover, puberty & associated changes, menstrual hygiene, personal & genital hygiene, RTIS/STIS & HIV, conception & contraception, the right age for marriage, and maternal health care.
We are striving for creating a safe space and develop life skills as well. We have devised a sports-led methodology that aims to build the capacities and confidence of youths especially young girls and women across
We orient youth about the importance of effective communication, various ways of effective communication be it with the parents, partners, friends, teachers, etc., and the implications of not putting their thoughts and grievances effectively.
We have devised a sports-led approach to developing life skills, that aims to build the capacities and confidence of youth, especially young girls and women. Using games & activities like Kabaddi, we encourage young people, especially girls, to break the stereotype, open up and express themselves on issues relating to gender taboos, patriarchy, and sexual and reproductive health.
We also trained them on various life skills theoretical and practical aspects. These all activities contributed to life skill development and nurturing, and inspire young lives to become sensitive and responsible citizens.
Shahnaj is an aspiring women member of Self Help Group in Gagwana village of Ajmer district in Rajasthan. The self help groups are being promoted by Manjari Foundation in Sakhi Project. After her marriage, she arrived here as a homemaker living with her husband, children and other family members.
Click HereRamkali, alongside her husband, toiled on their small piece of agricultural land. Life was manageable when it was just the two of them, but the arrival of three children brought new financial challenges.
Click HerePeople often say, 'Dream, because dreams cost nothing.' Everyday in India, countless women are dreaming and making every possible effort to turn those dreams into reality.
Click HereRakhi Sharma's journey is a testament to the power of determination and the transformative impact of seizing opportunities
Click HereWhile India is known as an agrarian country, the struggles and hardships faced by many farming families often go unnoticed. Sunita's family, residing in the small village of Patoora in the Satna district of Madhya Pradesh....
Click HereIn India, one often witnesses a common occurrence in impoverished households. The insistence on marrying off the daughter is prevalent, treating the girl as if she is a burden. It's as if they eagerly await her turning 18, considering it a milestone for arranging her marriage. In some cases, the situation is so extreme that the girl is married,
Click HereRamesh Yadawar from Manjari pens down his experience of Annual Retreat.
Click Hereटीम मंजरी के विजय रावत और सुबोध गुप्ता द्वारा लिखा गया वार्षिक रिट्रीट का वृत्तांत।
Click HereIn the serene village of Guddali, nestled in the Kurabad block of Udaipur, resides a remarkable woman, Meera. From a young age, Meera has faced the challenges of physical disability with unwavering determination and resilience.
Click HereIn the heart of Narayanpur, a village painted with the hues of tradition and aspirations, a remarkable journey unfolded through the Bagaj Mata Self-Help Group, facilitated by the Manjari Foundation in October 2021.
Click HereKamla Bai's story is one of resilience, empowerment, and the blossoming of a remarkable entrepreneurial spirit.
Click HereMadhu Khoiwal, a 55-year-old woman from Rajasthan's Chittorgarh, had a journey filled with challenges and empowerment. Growing up in a village where education for girls was not considered essential, she dropped out of school during the 5th standard.
Click HereWith the numerous risks and uncertainties we face today, social security is indispensable for poor and vulnerable families.
Click Here119 year-old Raviya belongs to a middle class family in Adampur village in Dholpur district. Her father Laxmi Narayan Lodhi is a farmer and mother Kanta is a housewife. She is the youngest of 4 siblings.
Click HereThe Government has launched various schemes and programmes for the upliftment of the poor but impact...
Click HereWith the numerous risks and uncertainties we face today, social security is indispensable for poor and vulnerable families.
Click HereElectricity is the most basic that we take for granted. Even today, it is not easily available to many people in rural areas.
Click HereSushila Devi, a 28-year-old woman from Shivpura village, is a mother of the young boy. Tears roll down her cheeks when she narrates her story. She was very young when she got married.
Click HereRawa is a remote village situated in the difficult terrains of Girwa Tehsil. Most men in the village are daily wage labourers.
Click HereFour months ago, our Sakhi programme reached out to Narpat Ki Khedi, a small village with a conservative...
Click HereDespite making huge advances in development in our county, women today still face a number of hurdles due to gaping gender gap in the workforce. Only 29% of the women in our country end up joining the workforce..
Click HereMohini’s story goes to show that there is no limit to how much one can achieve with strong determination.
Click HereThe Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is an initiative and social security measure of the government of India, aimed at providing guaranteed employment to rural people in an attept to reduce distress migration from villages.
Click HereGudiya Kanwar became a famous name in the pickle unit of Kayad (Ajmer) for a reason. She was a housewife...
Click HereRadha Jaat is resident of Chittorgarh’s Monga Ka Khera hamlet. Her husband abandoned her a few years ago...
Click HereKanchan Vaishav is a native of Bhilwara’s Agoocha Village. She is a 45-year-old woman, who has been working at the Pulses Unit in Agoocha since its inception. Her husband worked as a farmer, but now is confined to the home due to poor health.
Click HereJamna Khatik is a resident of village Putholi, Chittorgarh. She started working at the textile centre 2 years ago...
Click HereSadhana lives in a remote village named Maloni Pawar, 46km away from Dholpur, Rajasthan. She is an active member of an SHG in her village.
Click Here“She is a warrior capable of slaying demons. She is a pioneer capable of choosing her own path. She is a trailblazer capable of achieving new horizons. Just give her some time and see her bedazzle the world.” ― Avijeet Das
Click Here“Ashayein” is a Hindi word which means “Hope”. Those who manage to have hope regardless of their hardship, are the ones who succeed with flying colours.
Click HereThe title aptly captures the story of Mamta Solanki and Meena Kanwar, residents of Kishanganj village in the Baran district of Rajasthan. Mamta, 24 years old, is the daughter of Meena Kanwar, 43 years old. Mamta got married to Tanwar Singh five years ago but has since separated from him.
Click HereAs cliché as it sounds, “change is constant”. There are few people who are able to bring change at the grass-root level, and 45 year-old Sangeeta Kunwar is one such women. Hailing from Rolakheda village of Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, Sangeeta earned recognition in her village for the contribution she made.
Click Here“Koshish” is a Hindi word that means “to try”. It’s the attitude that ultimately makes all the difference between success and failure.
Click HereThe story of 21 year old Paras Salvi speaks for itself. A resident of Rupakhedi village in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan...
Click HereSometimes life gives us a second chance. It’s left upto us to seize the moment and make the most of opportunities that come our way.
Click Here“SCHOOL CHALI MAIN” in Hindi translates to mean “I am going to school”. The sentence signifies the happiness of Vimla Salvi, a 27 year old from Rupakhedi Village in Chittorgarh District of Rajasthan.
Click HereThe Second Chance Programme implemented by Manjari Foundation and supported by Pradan and UN Women has set the ball rolling for several women like Promilla Karmakar.
Click Here“Sui-Dhaaga” is a popularly used Hindi word, which means needle and thread. Sewing as an activity has ensured employment for millions of people across the globe.
Click Here“STRONG STRONGER STRONGEST” represents a transition in the life of a rural woman...
Click HereThe title “STRONG STRONGER STRONGEST” represents a transition in the life of a rural woman that is straddled with hardship.
Click HereThere have been numerous instances where minor efforts have resulted in larger results. We plant trees in gardens, on property, and elsewhere these days in the hope that global warming challenges can be handled in the future.
Click HereOur Testimonials
'Manjari’ literally translates to “seed of Tulsi”, a sacred Indian plant. When women mobilise themselves to form institutions, they are empowered to sow their own ‘seeds of change’.
"Development of Corporate Citizenship (DoCC), the social internship program of SPJIMR has been collaborating with Manjari Foundation since 2015. This has been fruitful relationship for us. I want to emphasise the four following themes. First the internships give our students a different idea of leadership which also gives them a sense of requirements for the future and adds to the ethics of sociological content. The participants acquire a notion of innovation- both social and technical which gives them a systemic view of the society. Such an empirical location gives them both a sense of limits and possibilities of what they can do. Environmental consciousness and gender sensitivity constitute two critical parts of social responsibility as we define it today. The participants of the internship understand what these key concepts mean in everyday sense. Internship at Manjari adds to their imagination in this direction. We value this relationship."
"Our collaboration with Manjari has allowed us to better understand the approach of solidarity groups and concretely towards the empowerment of women in the commune of Logo.The participation of Indian PRCs has been beneficial because the women have appropriated easily by seeing that they are rural women Indian women who share their experiences with them. The Camide team was formed by the professionals of Manjari with enthusiasm and professionalism and is able to reproduce most of the activities. This period of collaboration opens up prospects for our two structures to replicate the model in Mali and Africa. We again thank Manjari for all the efforts made for Camide and particularly the Director Sanjay Kumar. We were able to reach more than 2,500 women and more than 180 million CFA francs of credit granted four test henhouses substantial support for the winter and market gardening campaign in terms of results thank you."
"Without larger vision and dedication of the team of MF and its leadership, both vertical and horizontal growth would have never been possible to pick up at this level in this short history of its evolution. Since I have been associated with the Sakhi project of MF funded by Hindustan Zinc for the last 2 years, the happiness and confidence seen in their faces of hundreds of women in the villages proves its vitality. I have also witnessed the UN-women funded second chance education project (SCE) being implemented in 3 districts under the guidance of PRADAN is a much worthy to reach out to those young women in the age group of 16-35 who have been deprived in their childhood with the education, skills and employment are now happily enrolled and trained to overcome these deprivations with much positive outcome. While writing all these statements, I recall each visit to the project area to witness the change processes that were taking place within those women who had never dreamed of being so empowered and self-reliant so soon in their lifetimes."
"Manjari Foundation is IPE Global’s implementation partner in Dholpur, Rajasthan under the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), UK supported Project Udaan that aims at reducing teenage pregnancies. They have been instrumental in successfully piloting interventions for improving the knowledge of adolescents around sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in Bari block of Dholpur. Their efforts in organizing a team to take up the issue of adolescent SRH and facilitating its implementation with great sensitivity across the block has not only been recognized by the district administration, but has also paved way for attempting a scale-up across the district. Their coordination with the community-level institutions, local government bodies and the target group has been noteworthy and exemplary. "