Phulora
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Project Phulora focuses on empowering adolescent girls and women to unlock their potential and provide them with the necessary life and vocational skills for a self-sufficient future. Established in 2002, 7 Phulora centers have impacted over 3000 women and 10,000 children from 7 different communities in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, building their self-confidence.
Blooming gracefully through education, financial stability, and boosting self-esteem!
Women, especially from underprivileged backgrounds are often denied opportunities to learn, to be self-sufficient, and to make their own choices. They are often denied access to resources and recognition for their efforts, perpetuating feelings of inferiority that begin in childhood. The lack of education, early marriages, and domestic abuse are all too common realities for them. However, with education and awareness, women have the power to empower themselves and their families. Unfortunately, societal norms and restrictions often prevent them from reaching their full potential.
We at Swadhar have taken on this challenge head-on by creating a comprehensive program that empowers girls and women with opportunities for education, income generation, and personal growth- the program aptly named as Project Phulora.
Phulora Community Centers mainly work with adolescent girls and women (age group of 14-40 years old), providing them different training and opportunities to learn. We aim to build their confidence and help them be independent and take charge of their own life.
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Vocational Training Courses:
To help women earn a living, we provide courses in tailoring, beauty, baking, paper-bag making, mobile pouch making, jewelry making, zardozi work, hobby skills like rangoli design, henna design, embroidery, knitting, crochet, varli painting, cold ceramics, decorative flowers, lamp painting, cooking etc. -
Financial Literacy Sessions:
We conduct sessions to increase awareness of money management and financial products, including topics like home budgeting, saving schemes, and visits to local banks/post offices. -
Education Assistance:
We offer guidance and information for women who have discontinued their education, including options for pursuing higher education and external board exams. -
Personality Development:
We conduct awareness sessions on topics such as diet, nutrition, and life skills to enhance the understanding of personality development. -
Life-Skill Sessions:
We also provide life-skill sessions for school-going girls (14 to 16 years old) to equip them with the tools they need to make informed decisions.
We mainly work with Govt-run and low-income schools for conducting life-skills sessions. Similarly, Phulora centers operate in low-income/urban-poor communities. Women in these communities seldom get a chance to get out of their home and explore the outside world. Most community members have barely completed their high school education. Lesser education, lower income, early marriages, domestic abuse are the stark issues in these communities which suppress the voice of the women.
With school-going girls, we conduct life-skills sessions talking about different topics with them. These are 1 hour sessions conducted over 15 days and a pre and post assessment is done as well. We continuously touch base with the schools to understand the impact on girls.
We have reached out to 3000+ women from 7 communities and 10000+ girls from 200+ schools so far through 7 Phulora centers and life-skills sessions with schools in Pune and PCMC. We also plan to introduce newer vocational courses and life-skills for them.
Phulora offers these women an opportunity to learn, to be self-sufficient which in turn boosts their confidence. Over the years, we have observed that the women approach the center themselves as opposed to their initial hesitation to join the center. The participating women also mention the opportunity they received to explore and express themselves.
The Phulora Project has a profound and long-lasting impact on the women it serves, enabling them to become self-sufficient in various aspects of life and inspiring others to do the same. It serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment, fostering a sense of self-esteem and empowering women with a greater understanding of their rights. The name “Phulora” meaning “to bloom” symbolizes the growth and progress women experience through the program, leading to a positive impact on their families and society as a whole.