Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 05 March 2025
Dakshin Foundation (ANET), recently held a graduation ceremony for its Youth Ambassadors, marking the successful completion of a 10-month-long capacity-building program organised with the support of PwC India Foundation. The initiative, launched in April 2024, aimed at empowering young women to lead change in their community through solid waste management (SWM) and sustainable menstruation practices.
The program selected eight young women from different wards of Wandoor Gram Panchayat and trained them on various topics, including the ecosystems and communities of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, the Panchayati Raj System, solid waste management, and sustainable menstruation. Additionally, participants developed essential skills in resource mapping, field research, survey methods, photography, theatre, and community engagement.
Since June 2024, the Youth Ambassadors have conducted over 50 community awareness sessions on SWM, organized 17 clean-up drives involving local youth, and sensitized more than 400 people on waste management. They also introduced sustainable menstrual products to over 450 women and girls in Wandoor, with 250 women having adopted these products through regular peer support and troubleshooting. Their efforts included innovative community engagement methods such as street plays and collaborations with the Gram Panchayat and Forest Department to drive positive change.
The graduation ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Ms. Lalita Tigga (BDO, Ferrargunj), Mr. Adhir Das (Pradhan, Wandoor Gram Panchayat), Mr. Durlav Das (Pradhan, Guptapara Gram Panchayat), Mr. Mohammed Hussain (Forester, MGMNP), and Ms. Madhuri Mondal (Senior Programme Officer, Dakshin/ANET), along with other PRI members of Wandoor. The officials awarded certificates to the Youth Ambassadors, recognizing their dedication and contributions to the community.
The event also paid tribute to Prahlad Tete, a sanitation worker at Wandoor Gram Panchayat who passed away last year. Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Lalita Tigga emphasized the significance of youth participation in community-led action and highlighted the importance of working towards making Wandoor a zero-waste panchayat. Mr. Adhir Das commended the Youth Ambassadors for their hard work and dedication to improving their village. (Story Based on PR)