Gandhinagar, Dec 21 (IANS) A unique initiative by the Gujarat government is bringing about positive changes in the lives of adolescent girls in Navsari district. The Saksham Yuvika Project, launched three years ago by the district panchayat, focuses on the physical and mental health, nutrition, and awareness of girl students studying in primary schools.

Under this project, regular health check-ups, counselling sessions by experts, and career guidance are being given to girls, and this has resulted in a significant decline in school dropout rate. In 2025 alone, more than 7,000 girls from 202 schools have benefited from this project.

A dedicated Saksham Yuvika mobile app has also been created for real-time monitoring.

Pushpalata, District Programme Officer, ICDS, Navsari, said that the ‘Saksham Yuvika Project’, launched three years ago by the Navsari District Panchayat on behalf of the Gujarat government, is garnering significant attention due to its success.

Under this project, various activities are being organised for adolescent girls studying in primary schools, specifically those in classes 7 and 8, focusing on their physical and mental health, as well as empowering them and making them self-reliant.

Under the Saksham Yuvika Project, regular health check-ups are conducted for the girls, and they are also educated by experts on topics such as menstrual hygiene, reproductive health, financial literacy, cybersecurity, and cyberbullying.

Komal Thakur, the project in-charge said that necessary advice is being provided by the relevant departments regarding future career options.

“The main focus of the ‘Saksham Yuvika Project’ is health check-ups of adolescent girls and providing them with supplementary nutrition for better health, educating them about the harms of child marriage and teenage pregnancy, providing information about laws related to preventing violence against women, and guiding them towards better career opportunities,” she said.

This year, special sessions were organised in 202 primary schools in Navsari district to raise awareness among more than 7,000 adolescent girls.

–IANS

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