Bhubaneswar: Birla Global University (BGU), Bhubaneswar, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Odisha government’s Women and Child Development (WCD) Department for capacity building under the state-run ADVIKA programme to empower adolescent girls.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of WCD department Dr Mrinalini Darswal and BGU Vice-Chancellor Prof Kulbhushan Balooni signed the MoU.
The Odisha government launched ADVIKA – “A Path to Adolescent Empowerment” to unlock the potential of adolescents aged 14–19 years. It reached them through life-skills education and awareness-generation sessions held every Saturday. The MoU with BGU was signed to further strengthen the capacities of ADVIKA adolescent girls and Peer Leaders.
Under the MoU, it was agreed that BGU would conduct a six-day residential training programme for 50 ADVIKA adolescent girls at its campus in Bhubaneswar. This would give the girls exposure to a university environment and intensive, hands-on learning.
It was also agreed that a four-week community-based training programme would be organised for 50 ADVIKA Peer Leaders in Nimapada Block of Puri district. This would equip them to guide and support fellow adolescents in their communities.
BGU professors Dr Anubha Ray and Dr Archana Choudhary, Additional Secretary Sumitra Pattnaik, Deputy Secretary Jitendra Kumar Patra and other senior officials of the department were present on the occasion.