At a screening in London, Kiran Rao, director of the award-winning film 'Lost Ladies' (also known as 'Laapataa Ladies'), spoke about how she drew inspiration from women who had dropped out of school and were now participating in the Pratham-Jameel Second Chance programme. A transcript of her remarks follows.
I am sure there are women in India who would still have this same lack of opportunity.
Having said that, statistically, we know that many, many more women have been educated because of non-profits that work for women, [and] government initiatives for the right to education.
Pratham Second Chance works in India. It offers women the opportunity to be literate and to get a school degree at any age.
So I had conversations with these women in different parts of the country.
There are women who are grandmothers, homemakers, from different parts of the country, who are being educated – and we screened the film.
Launched in 2023 by the Pratham Education Foundation and Community Jameel, Pratham-Jameel Second Chance provides mentoring, tutoring and other support to girls and women who left school early.
The programme helps get them back into formal education to complete their studies, pass their vitally-important grade 10 exams and realise their dreams.
Each year, Pratham-Jameel Second Chance aims to reach 10,000 girls and women across India.