The Azad Foundation, established in 2008 in Delhi, provides livelihoods for resource-poor women living in urban areas in India, with a focus on nontraditional livelihoods that enhance women’s economic status and decision-making. Azad Foundation also initiated programmes to support adolescent girls in their journey to adulthood, one of which is Azad Kishori 9-12 programme in Jaipur, which Dalyan supports.
Azad Kishori gives school girls in grades 9 to 12 the chance to develop independent perspectives on issues related to personality and gender. It enables them to develop a broader vision for their life and practical life-skills to help them achieve their goals. Furthermore, it exposes these adolescent girls to non-traditional livelihood options and provides them with the information and skills needed to make appropriate educational choices.
Azad also offers the Azad Leadership Accelerator for Alumni, an 18-month fellowship that supports young women to translate learning into long-term agency. Through leadership training, mentorship, and personalized development plans, alongside stronger alumni networks and active family engagement; the programme tackles barriers rooted in gender norms and power dynamics, enabling girls to make and act on their own decisions about education, livelihoods, and leadership.
www.azadfoundation.com