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“What happens if you touch pickle during your period?” In August 2024, 36.30% of girls who participated in a survey conducted by IT for Change, a Bengaluru-based NGO, responded to this question saying, ‘nothing will happen to the pickle.’ In March 2025, the percentage of girls who responded with the same answer rose to 69.30%, a 33% increase. The survey was conducted to assess the impact of Kishori Club, an initiative by the NGO, in collaboration with the State government’s Department of Primary and Secondary Education and Karnataka Residential Education Institutions’ Society, to establish safe spaces for adolescent girls within government high schools. The results showed that the initiative contributed to a significant reduction in menstrual superstition, a remarkable rise in awareness of life skills and balanced diet, and an increased number of girls rejecting societal beauty standards and stereotypical gender roles. Increase in awareness As part of the study, conducted using a mixed-method approach, 482 girls were surveyed in the baseline study and 579 in the endline study. Following a seven-month run of the programme, it was found that there was a 50% increase among the participants in awareness about the significance of balanced diet and 33% reduction in menstrual superstitions. Around 68% more girls developed awareness of patriarchy and its manifestations, and 67% of girls recognised intellectual and psychological changes alongside physical development. The survey also recorded a 66% increase in girls who understand what life skills are. Along with a 50% increase in awareness about balanced diet significance, a 33% reduction in menstrual superstitions was documented. A 31% increase was documented in the number of girls who believe they can control their future. Around 19% more girls disagreed with stereotypical gender roles and rejected societal beauty standards. The Kishori Club is an initiative of ‘Hosa Hejje Hosa Dishe’ (A New Step in a New Direction), the flagship adolescent girl empowerment project of the NGO. The initiative aims to empower girl students by enhancing their awareness about their bodies and the world around them, building their articulation skills, nurturing their aspirations, and instilling a spirit of agency in them. The club is led by trained female teachers who facilitate conversations around changes during adolescence, gender and patriarchy, health and nutrition, body image and identity, sexual and reproductive health and rights, identifying sexual harassment, life skills, and cyber safety. In 2024-25, the programme completed its second edition, establishing 449 Kishori Clubs and reaching more than 18,000 adolescent girls from socio-economically marginalised backgrounds across Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Raichur, and Chamarajanagar. Rap song released As part of its 25th anniversary celebrations, the IT for Change released ‘Kishori Rap: Teenage Girls’ Message on Social Media Safety’, an anthem written from the perspective of adolescent girls speaking directly to their peers about navigating social media and staying safe online. According to the NGO, the song channels the authentic voices and experiences of the more than 20,000 girls with whom the team has worked across the State, transforming their insights into a contemporary rap that resonates with today’s digital generation. The lyrics reflect the girls’ conversations about filters, peer pressure, and collective strengths. The song would be used as part of the Kishori Club training sessions in schools.
