Kadam Badhate Chalo 4.0 kicks-off with a Training workshop

The Martha Farrell Foundation (MFF), as part of its youth-led initiative, Kadam Badhate Chalo (KBC), conducted a training workshop for its facilitators from Odisha, Jharkhand, and Haryana before the launch of the program’s 4th edition in July 2019.

MFF believes that youth can be used as agents to promote gender equality and that they are critical stakeholders in the process of stopping violence against women and girls. Since it’s inception in 2015, KBC has impacted over 2.9 million people by engaging 3069 Youth Leaders (51% girls) at various locations across India.

Deboshree Mohanta, MFF senior program officer, said “KBC aims to bring change to communities by influencing it’s different elements. We educate youth on certain concepts,so that they can implement them in their own lives, which in turn brings change to the entire community”.

The training focused on educating trainers about the concepts of KBC and increasing their practical knowledge about topics such as understanding the male and female bodies, menstruation, puberty and peer-pressure. The curriculum, spread over 4 days, was developed by a team of experts which ensured that the participants understand the concepts and improve their skills of delivering sessions.

Moreover, facilitators were taught to implement a sports curriculum which was developed in partnership with Pro Sport Development. The curriculum aims to aid the personal development of youth by promoting the values of sports such as teamwork, leadership, self-esteem, and communication. Post this training, the facilitators will implement their learnings with youth that they work with over the coming year.

Subhrasarita Rout, a trainer from Bhubaneswar, Odisha said “This is my first year at KBC and the training given by the MFF team has given me the confidence to talk about issues such as menstruation, changes in the male/female body during adolescence. I feel confident about sharing this knowledge with the youth in Bhubaneswar and want to break the gender barriers prevalent among girls and boys”.

The 4th edition of KBC will aim to create an environment free of gender inequalities and gender-based violence where boys and girls are aware of their rights, willing to express themselves freely and lead their communities in a positive direction.