Established by the Indian Government in 2004, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) schools was created with a vision to provide quality education to Girls from underprivileged communities. Alongside their educational needs, these young Girls are also given the necessities such as food, clothing and school supplies to help amplify literacy with dignity.

Over 53 million Girls between the ages of 12 to 18, many of whom are first- generation learners, hail from low socioeconomic backgrounds, rural and tribal areas. As of 2015, their school dropout rates are on the rise and over 13 million have been pushed into child marriages. SwaTaleem helps break this cycle of oppression and empowers these young Girls of tomorrow with the necessary skills and long-term support.

SwaTaleem works with KGBV Girls, their parents, teachers and local women through a nationwide effort with a focus on life skills and English. As part of our hybrid model, we build capacities of KGBV teachers and women from local communities to work with Girls by creating school clusters. This is coupled with low-tech IVRS technology that helps engage girls and parents via a participatory process with teachers to co-create content. This approach provides the necessary tools to these young Girls on the path to empowerment; bringing their hopes and dreams to fruition.