RHEST
RHEST conducts four school visits
per academic year, two of which are for paying school fees and the other two
are follow-up visits. During these visits, girls are provided with educational
materials such as school bags, uniform, books, stationary and Information,
Education, and Communication (IEC) materials. In addition, RHEST holds
interaction sessions with students and their families on topics such as women's
health, education, domestic violence, and child marriage, with participation
from members of the local community.
The organization also publishes
and distributes a wide range of IEC materials on trafficking, women's rights,
and health and nutrition to students in grades 6-12, RHEST alumni,
Friday/school facilitators, local government bodies, and schools. Friday
Facilitators are responsible for leading a two hour interaction with students
once a week. They provide awareness raising information to the students on
human trafficking, child labor. child marriage and other social harmful
practice along with support in their homework up to Grade 10. These materials
include questionnaires for the girls to express their learning, awareness of
risk factors, and topics of interest for future discussions, as well as
letters, stories, and poems submitted by the girls and their teachers, and
information about RHEST's programs.
RHEST has also established
anti-trafficking advocacy groups in six districts, composed of alumni, that work
with local governments to raise awareness about girl trafficking and domestic
violence. Advocacy groups are groups of alumni along with other stakeholders
such as CSOs, school teachers and journalists formed by RHEST in its program districts to
advocate against social malpractices prevalent in the communities. Currently, there are 10 advocacy groups. These
groups raise awareness through the distribution of pamphlets and the
organization of social campaigns, workshops, and interaction programs, and also
assist victims and their families in filing complaints.
The organization also conducts
Extra-Curricular Activities in various schools to boost students' confidence
and inspire curiosity. These activities include competitions for writing
essays, reciting poetry, drawing, debating, and acting in dramas, and have
helped raise awareness about trafficking, child marriages, child labor, sexual harassment,
domestic violence, and menstrual taboos.
RHEST continually publishes books
and articles on anti-trafficking, health and nutrition, women's rights, and
children's rights. Graduates of RHEST and Friday facilitators often join local
alumnae groups and continue to support younger students, receiving training in
management, finance, leadership, and personal development. These alumnae also
mentor younger students, participate in programs to reduce dropout rates, raise
awareness in communities, and identify and support at-risk girls. Around 1,800
girls are currently members of their local alumnae organization. Between
quarterly visits, students are supported academically and taught life skills
during Friday afternoon classes, which are taught by alumnae who have persued careers in various sectors of government and private industry and have also
taken on roles as entrepreneurs and local leaders.
