The Udaan Program is specifically set up for girls who have never received an education and are not accustomed to expressing themselves. Apart from learning language, mathematics and environmental science, girls enrolled in the Udaan Program learn about themselves, society, institutions, ecology, family and the economy. Through this broad framework of relationships, girls learn about rights and equality and thus develop questioning minds. CARE has implemented the Udaan Program in India since 1999 with resounding success and is building on that experience to offer girls in Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, Bihar and Haryana the opportunity to catch up and reintegrate into upper primary schools.

Key Features
• Residential camp for 11 months
• Open to girls between 11-14 years, who have either dropped out of school or have never been to school
• Teacher-Pupil ratio is 1: 25 (5 teachers for every 100 girls)
• Students from mixed social background
• Grade wise accelerated curriculum
• Social Learning curriculum
• Active community-school engagement
• Follow up of the girls after the camp at school & home

Funds raised by this project will provide program support for the Udaan Program, including:

1) Materials for Udaan libraries — books, periodicals and newspapers.
2) Materials for school activities — stationary and craft items.
3) Support for sports/extra-curricular activities.
4) Materials for science equipment.
5) Support for boarding & lodging of girls in Udaan.
6) Health and hygiene costs for students.
7) Support for community engagement and outreach events.

CARE’s Udaan Program is a highly successful initiative that addresses the needs of never-enrolled or out-of-school illiterate adolescent girls, and provides them with greater life opportunities through residential learning programs. Unlike other schools, the Udaan Program has a proven track record of addressing the unique education needs of girls - about 98% of Udaan’s students finish the program. More importantly, Udaan graduates, and the increased economic opportunities they have, are changing opinions and serving as shining examples to people in their villages who didn’t know why a girl would need an education. The grandmother of Shailendri, a recent Udaan graduate, admits she was initially opposed to Shailendri receiving an education. Now, she notes approvingly that “Shailendri has become a role model for other girls in our village. Now, they want to go to Udaan.”

CARE with the help of local NGOs has been managing Udaan schools in the states of Uttar Pradesh (Hardoi district), Bihar (Madhubani district), Orissa (Mayurbhanj district) and Haryana (Mewat district near Delhi). While CARE implements the Udaan in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Bihar in partnership with local NGOs, it has a corporate partner in Haryana – SRF Foundation. CARE’s partner is primarily responsible for identifying the children from the community, enrolling them in the residential school and taking them through the intensive 11 month curriculum. All arrangements for the comfortable stay of the 100 girls will be made by the partner NGO. CARE will support the NGO in technical matters such as curriculum development, customizing lessons, training of teachers and any such activity which enhances the quality of the project.