On June 26, 2025, the Azim Premji Foundation team held an interactive session with adolescent girls at the Swabhiman Samiti office in Uska Bazar, Siddharthnagar. This engagement was part of the Azim Premji Foundation Scholarship Program, with Swabhiman Samiti serving as a local facilitator to support outreach and coordination.
The session brought together both existing scholarship recipients and new aspirants preparing to apply for the 2025–26 academic cycle. The primary goal was to provide clarity on the eligibility criteria, required documentation, and application process, while also creating a safe space for the girls to express the challenges they face in pursuing higher education.
The session was designed to:
The meeting began with introductions, after which Mr. Syed from the Azim Premji Foundation posed a crucial question to the group:
“What are the primary reasons why girls drop out of school after 10th or 12th grade?”
Mr. Vinod Kumar from Swabhiman Samiti shared three major contributing factors observed in the region:
Several adolescent girls openly discussed their personal challenges. Some notable responses included:
Others spoke about gender discrimination and social norms as obstacles, such as being expected to marry early or care for younger siblings.
Mr. Syed elaborated on the scholarship process for both new applicants and those seeking renewal:
This interactive session not only provided much-needed clarity on the application process but also gave adolescent girls a platform to voice their struggles—many of which go unacknowledged in formal systems. It became evident that educational roadblocks for girls in rural areas stem from a complex interplay of poverty, gender roles, infrastructure gaps, and family pressures.
Through this session, Swabhiman Samiti and the Azim Premji Foundation renewed their commitment to support every girl’s right to education and dignity. It also emphasized the need for more such grassroots interactions to make schemes more inclusive and accessible.
Scholarships are not just financial aid—they are instruments of empowerment, especially for girls in underserved regions. Meetings like these not only inform but inspire confidence, create hope, and sow the seeds of long-term change.
Swabhiman Samiti, in its supporting role, will continue to bridge the gap between opportunity and access for adolescent girls in Siddharthnagar.
