This weekend, I watched Laapataa Ladies, a Bollywood comedy-drama. The film delves into the struggles of two women trapped by life circumstances dictated by the veil. It is a heart-warming story of women who didn't give up on life.
One of them, Phool, decided if she finds her way back home, she doesn't want to just remain dependent on someone else – she wants to be the one earning her livelihood.
The other woman, Jaya, decided to study organic farming, even though people around her didn't think it was a good idea. Jaya's desire of studying agriculture emerged from her farmer dad being forced to sell his land to pay debts and get her married off. One could see her grit to fight the rudimentary societal customs of dowry, veil, and suppression.
I imagine her determination to pursue organic farming won’t only shape her immediate circumstances but also improve the quality of food and climate, ultimately impacting population health and nutrition.
Our patriarchal society dictates girls’ choices from the very beginning - forcing them to drop out of school, prioritise care of their younger siblings, or get married at an early age. These constraints from an early age obstruct them from realising their true potential, erasing their identity and ability to self-expression.
At ZealGrit, we're committed to lifting these literal and metaphorical veils from adolescent girls and women in rural India. More specifically, one of our projects focuses on adolescent girls - imagine a classroom alive with the laughter of adolescent girls, engaged in interactive sessions on topics ranging from nutrition, menstrual health, and sexual consent.
Through innovative approaches that combine education with playful activities, we aim to improve their knowledge and attitude towards health and overall well-being. We attempt to create a safe space to discuss their nutritional future.
We recognize that adolescence is a vital period of growth, encompassing physical, social, cognitive, and emotional development. Investing in adolescents, particularly girls, yields significant short-term and long-term benefits for both individuals and society. At ZealGrit, we believe that through education, information, advocacy, and community engagement, we can unveil the true potential of young girls, transcending the confines of tradition to embrace a future of health and equality.
Allocating just over $5 per adolescent per year towards interventions aimed at enhancing their physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health can generate economic and social returns worth up to ten times the cost. This makes such investments one of the most valuable choices we can make.
The narrative of Laapataa Ladies underscores ZealGrit's mission - helping adolescent girls overcome societal barriers and realise their aspirations.
It's crucial to take action now to prevent another generation of young girls from missing out on essential information and opportunities for a brighter future (side note: Support Us 🙂).