In a time where sex and topics related to sexual health are still considered taboo and frowned upon, Pratisandhi Foundation, a student-run non-profit organisation, is working towards sexual health and education. We wish to create a difference through means of educating the youth in a manner by which they can become self-aware and empowered individuals who can make informed decisions. Everyone has the right to access information free from judgment, and in a manner that helps them understand the choices available to them. Our goal is to make this a reality.
Pratisandhi is an initiative by the youth, for the youth. Our primary aim is to promote conversations, dialogue and awareness of sexual health and education in India in an age-appropriate manner, with a special emphasis on the lower strata of society through carefully-curated and culturally-sensitive modules based on an interactive and empowerment-oriented approach that bridges the knowledge and generational gap in sexual health education. Our primary areas of intervention are workshops that cater to different age groups and themes, donation drives with a focus on menstrual hygiene awareness and accessibility for the lower strata, and awareness campaigns and events.
Our workshops are the most direct way through which we interact with our target audience. These workshops are strictly based upon the global guidelines for age-appropriate knowledge. These workshops are interactive sessions between our volunteers and the audience. Our modules are built around the thought of “What do I wish I had been taught when I was this age?.” Our volunteers take part in formal and informal training sessions, and these sessions revolve around the holistic development of our volunteers to enhance their knowledge and skills to focus not just on external impact, but also personal growth of the team itself.
To initiate conversations among the general masses, we conduct a wide range of events and campaigns. In the past, these have included open mics, online photography competitions, panel discussions and fundraising and awareness efforts at universities such as Ambedkar University, Hansraj College and Kamla Nehru College.
With our goal of empowering and informing people, The Pratisandhi Foundation organised a contest titled “Waging Words” in February. The contest saw huge participation over the internet. The contest was based upon a prompt of a picture whose theme was open to interpretation, and participants had to create a short story, an essay, one-liners, poetry, diary entries or any other medium of written expression. Our thought behind the prompt was for people to interpret the image as creatively as they could, and pen down what they thought/felt about it. The prompt was shared on our social media pages.
The winner of the contest was Bhavya Pandey, followed by Shriya Kataria, Praneet Kaur and Jyona Row Biswas (in no particular order). The top four participants received a certificate and shout out on social media page. Find Pratisandhi on Facebook and Instagram. Head to their crowdfunding page here.