Leading Change Certificate Course builds up the changemaker and influencer in the young women at the Leadership Academy, who, at this stage are ready to impact the community and lives around them with their inner spark, social and emotional competence, and leadership.
A few of the Leading Change stories from
1. WEP-AIRD-Madurai
2. WEP-CWS-Hyderabad Leadership Academies
Leading Change story 1
The Madurai Leadership Academy has recently introduced “SPARK,” a peer-learning initiative designed for students who are enthusiastic about sharing their unique skills. A wide range of courses have been organized by students, covering topics such as Power BI Desktop, SQL, NetBeans, Sign Language, Cucumber Cultivation, Art from Waste, Jasmine Garlanding, Entrepreneurial Skills, Poetry Writing, Self-Defence, Basket Weaving, Aari Work (embroidery), Pencil Drawing, Fireless Cooking, Dance, and Cycling. The inaugural SPARK session commenced this month with a focus on self-defense (Silambam), led by the student, Ms. Yazhini. Students were taught fundamental Silambam movements during the session and engaged in enjoyable activities.
Net Beans-
Ms. Sona took this activity for the students as machines are much faster than humans, and certain tasks that may require an incredible amount of manual work and attention to detail can be easily accomplished with the help of technology. Technology also ensures improved accuracy.
Ms. Sona, one of the students of Madurai Academy, conducted a comprehensive presentation on “NetBeans.” NetBeans is an integrated development environment specifically designed for Java programming. This powerful platform enables the creation of applications through a collection of modular software components known as modules. NetBeans is compatible with various operating systems including Windows, macOS, Linux, and Solaris. 30 students from the academy attended this session.
Leading Change story 2
K. Sandhyarani, a final-year degree student, joined WEP-CWS Hyderabad Leadership Academy in July 2022. She is a very active student who participates in all the trainings at the WEP center. As part of the community projects, she provided free tuition to 50 government school students from 8th to 10th grade. She motivated other girls in Medipally to engage in book club activities and served as a great mentor at the Academy.
Leading Change story 3
Ch. Pallavi, was trained as a Shakti Activator from Hyderabad Academy from Manneguda village, She was pursuing her Lab Technician course. She has been an active participant in all trainings of WEP. She became an activator and took up the Shakti Circle in Ragannaguda school for the 8th and 9th class students. While there, she realized that there was a severe water shortage in the school for the students.
She decided to take up this issue and took advice from WEP and she went and met the Principal of the school and the Sarpanch (Head) of the village and asked for donations to install two Sintex water tanks, pipes, and caps for drinking water and for the toilet. She raised money. The principal. teachers, and the Shakti Circle supported her. The two Sintex tanks were installed and the school had enough water for drinking and for the toilets. She was able to stop the dropouts of students from the school.
Leading Change story 4
This is the case study of K. Sindhu from the Hyderabad Academy, studying 9th class at the Government School at Ibrahimpatnam.
Radhika and Sowmya were students and now alumni of WEP and lived at Ibrahimpatnam and conducted Shakti Circle group activities at the Pochamma Colony, Ibrahimpatnam.
K. Sindhu was one of the girls who was part of this Shakti Circle. She came one day to the Shakti Circle meeting and she looked very worried and sad and was crying. She told Radhika and Sowmya that her parents had decided to get her married and she had to stop her education, within a month she was supposed to marry. So, they discussed this issue with the students of the Shakti circle and decided to go and meet k. Sindhu’s family. Two of us went to K. Sindhu’s home and spoke to the parents. K. Sindhu was only 14 years old and studying school in 9th grade. Sindhu was unhappy, she did not want to get married and wanted to complete her schooling and pursue higher education.
Parents were not ready to listen to Radhika and Soumya however both of them were consistent in talking to the parents. Both of them also talked to the parents regarding the law and how they can inform the police if they get Sindhu married before the legal marriage age. Fortunately, they decided that Sindhu should study and complete her education.
Sindhu is now studying Degree in 1st year at Ibrahimpatnam Government College.
Leading Change story 5
The village drainage was directed into the lands and front of their homes and in their community. These became cesspools of drainage water with flies and mosquitoes breeding in that water and the pigs would be walloping in this drainage water, the community was facing severe sicknesses like malaria, dengue, and respiratory problems constantly.
The community elders spoke to the sarpanch many times over the years to stop this drainage water flow in front of their homes but the Grampanchayat and sarpanch were indifferent and did not take up these issues.
In frustration, the village elders gave up and did not take any action.
Through WEP students and the Shakti Circle and the Program Assistants – D. Rajitha. This issue of hygiene and sanitation problems came up and the girls and Program Assistant were trained to take up the issue and thought about how to write a petition and follow up with the consult authority at the Grampanchayat and a letter to the village elders, with all signatures and municipal office at the mandal level.
WEP students and the Program Assistant after giving the letters to the Mandal office and motivated their own community elders.
Within a week a new drainage pit was built at the cesspool of drainage water. The drainage pipe was installed to the drainage pit and the cemented pit was closed with the proper drainage cover.
The elders from the village and the community were amazed that these critical issues were solved within a week.
The volunteer work of the students. They did a social mapping to identify “ESSENTIAL SERVICE FOR THE CITIZENS”.
Next Steps- 2024-2025
- Developing a certificate for the Leading Change.
- Students to take up projects based on the challenges they see in their communities and are interested in taking it up to lead a change.
- Students to complete those projects by the end of this year.
- Once completed the project, students to receive the Leading Change certificate.