More than 525 schoolgirls in Navsari will pack a punch now

Surat: A shopowner of Dhudhiya Talav in Navsari town was harassing two school-going girls by taking their pictures and passing lewd comments for past few days. When it became too much, three girls dared him to come out of his shop and warned him of a police complaint.
“We were surprised by the courage shown by these three 13-year-old girls. Lessons in self-defence instilled self confidence in them,” Navsari district collector Ravi Arora said.

More than 525 girls have learnt self-defence from martial art instructors and about hygiene from gynaecologists in a short span of two months under the Navnari Ek Abhiyan project of Navsari district administration.

“The project was launched with a view to empower women and girls by teaching them about self-defence and hygiene,” Arora added.

Girls aged 5 to 15 are given basic training in self-defence by martial art expert Vispi Kasad and his team for six days. They are taught how to save self and immobilize the attacker. Gynaecologists teach about hygiene and also present them menstrupedia comic as gift.
The district administration had recently got special screening of Hindi film Padman done at a multiplex theatre for 87 girls. Surprisingly, none of these 87 girls had ever been to a multiplex theatre to watch a movie.
“These girls are from a school run by Nagar Prathmik Shikshan Samiti. Such small gestures generate all-round warmth. They too feel empowered and will want to contribute to the society. When they feel they are one of us, they develop courage to raise their voice against any wrong,” said a councillor of Navsari.
Navsari collector plans to train and empower at least 10,000 girls of the district in 2018 under the Navnari Ek Abhiyan project.
by via Surat News, Latest Surat News Headlines & Live Updates - Times of India