Deep Shikha’ an UNICEF project change lives of girls in Jalna dist. 
By-AHMED NOOR
Jalna, Aug 23:
With the support of UNICEF, five Non-Government Organisations have 
undertaken a project ‘Deep Shikha’ to change the lives of 
adolescent girls, teach them their rights, about health and life 
skills. Scores of girls have been prevented by volunteers of the 
UNICEF and have brought back to schools. Child marriage – marrying 
before the legal age at 18 years for girls and 21 years for boys- is 
widespread in the state. Jalna district is no exception. Child brides 
are often forced to drop out of schools, are subject to the risks of 
early pregnancy and are more likely to be exposed to violence and 
isolation. A media co-coordinator of the UNICEF, Vandana Khare 
said the UNICEF has been carrying project Deep Shikha for last 
three years. The project has been working on 6000 girls in the 
district. Thousands girls have changed their lives and getting 
education who have been dropped out due to many reasons. A block 
coordinator ofJafrabad tehsil, Anil Sahane said girls who opposed 
their early marriages, became part of the UNICEF and working for 
change their lives. Vanita Mapari who had been in nine class, her 
parents arranged marriage with a distant relative. Vanita opposed 
the marriage and desire to continue education. Upon hearing that 
Vanita’s parents were arranging an early marriage, members of the 
UNICEF visited and met Vanita and parents convinced them to wait 
until Vanita is both physically and emotionally ready for marriage. 
Now Vanita is studying in BA and has ambitious to join the police 
force. Vanita has became volunteer of the UNICEF and working in 
it.She said under Deep Shikha, girls are learning that marrying 
before they are ready puts them at a higher risk of early 
childbearing, domestic violence and abuse, and economic dependence. 
There are many story stories in rural parts of Jafrabad Seema Gufne 
of Sawarkheda, Jayshree Bhise of Deulzari villages and many girls 
in rural parts of the district who had opposed the marriages and 
now pursing higher education thanks to the UNICEF.Jafrabad tehisl 
is the lowest in terms of Human Development Index. Bad roads and 
absence of state transport bus are major hurdle for girls.There is 
a high school at Sipra village where girls from adjoining villages 
come to the school. Due to absence of state transport bus the girls 
gave up high schooling. Girls had to walk five or six km. A village 
boy, Sarjirao Bhople said we students had staged 17 andolans 
for running the state transport bus. Now a state transport bus runs 
which connects many villages and drop rate of girls from school has 
been decreased.