Aarohan
Background
The state of Jharkhand in India has a large tribal population and high rates of poverty. The Government of India’s 2021 Multidimensional Poverty Index Report, indicated that Jharkhand is India’s second poorest state. For tribal populations in Jharkhand, illiteracy and low educational attainment are prevalent. Mental health problems are equally common, with rates of mental health problems higher than India’s national average.
Across Jharkhand, Ashram schools have been created by the government to support the education of youth from Scheduled Tribes. Ashram schools are residential schools that seek to prevent the high rates of school drop-out and illiteracy which are prevalent for Scheduled Tribe youth.
The challenges faced by marginalized youth across Jharkhand negatively impact their inner wellbeing and ability to thrive. To confront these challenges, WorldBeing’s Aarohan program works to guide youth to utilize their inner strengths, actualize their future goals, and become changemakers in their communities.
Aarohan: ‘To Rise’
Tribal youth across Jharkhand face challenges that impact their inner wellbeing and ability to thrive. To confront these challenges, in 2024 WorldBeing partnered with the Office of Tribal Welfare to launch Aarohan, a new program to provide tribal youth with the skills to build their mental health and wellbeing.
Aarohan, which translates from Sanskrit as “To Rise,” will be conducted for around 10,000 adolescents annually in 143 Ashram schools. Aarohan will be facilitated on a weekly basis in the classroom by specially trained Ashram school teachers, providing sessions in wellbeing skills such as character strength development, emotional intelligence, communication skills, goal setting, problem-solving and conflict resolution. In cultivating these skills, Jharkhand youth will build the inner wellbeing that is necessary to positively transform their life trajectories and forge a path forward for themselves and their communities.
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