In collaboration with Z Zurich Foundation, Plan India’s Accelerated Learning Centres (Balika Shivir) bring education closer to rural villages in the States of Rajasthan and Jharkhand, making it easier for girls who dropped out of school to reconnect to and complete school. Over three years, we are positively impacting over 30,000 lives.
Zurich employees regularly volunteer as teachers in the Balika Shivir. Each year, the Z Zurich Foundation supports an employee donation campaign, offering employees another way to connect to this meaningful program.
For many girls attending the Balika Shivir, there are invisible barriers to learning and attending school – reconciling family duties and studying, affording the bus fare to travel the distance, or even keeping warm enough to concentrate during a harsh Northern Indian winter.
85,909 Raised till now
Your contribution of INR 250* will buy woollen garments for a girl to keep warm throughout a cold winter in Rajasthan and Jharkhand
Your contribution of INR 350* will buy a solar lamp for a family home which only has intermittent power, enabling girls to study after the household chores are done
Your contribution of INR 2750* will buy a bicycle for a girl who lives more than 5km away from the Learning Center, offering independence and a safer, less expensive way to travel
Thank you for your generosity.
As per the Indian Income Tax Authority Rule, a PAN number is mandatory to avail of the 80G tax exemption certificate
Soni (Name Changed) achieved 64% in 10th grade; awarded for preventing child marriage and recognized with the Plan India Impact.
Rinki (Name Changed) scored 62.4% in 10th grade; linked 64 girls to Balika Shivir centres, and her inspiring story was featured in a film at the Z Zurich Foundation's 50th anniversary.
Sakhi Sangams Safe Spaces where girls can share their dreams and aspirations in a supportive environment.
Sakhi Sangam Girls Challenging gender stereotypes through football.
Sakhi Sangam girls engage in creative activities at Balika Shivir centres.
Sakhi Sangam girls have been felicitated at the district for preventing child marriages in their community.
The experience of Balika Shivir demonstrates that when communities, institutions, and young women themselves come together with a shared commitment, meaningful and lasting change becomes possible. The learnings captured in this Process document highlight practical strategies for reaching out to out-of-school adolescent girls, building their confidence, and enabling them to reclaim their right to education and opportunity. These insights also underline the importance of strong community engagement, convergence with government systems, and sustained mentoring in supporting girls’ journeys back into learning spaces.
We invite government departments, civil society organisations, community institutions, educators, funders and development partners to engage with these learnings and explore ways to adapt and strengthen such models in their own contexts. By building on these experiences and investing in collaborative approaches, we can collectively expand second chance education opportunities and create enabling ecosystems where every girl is supported to learn, grow, and realise her potential.
Because when a girl returns to learning, she does not only change her own future; she transforms the possibilities for her family, her community, and the generations that follow.
