The STEM for Girls Program addresses educational and socio-economic challenges in marginalized communities in two aspirational districts of Assam, Baksa and Darrang. As India aims to become the third-largest economy by 2032, it is estimated that 80% of the new workforce will require STEM skills, however, various report suggest that India is not ready to meet this demand, especially for the Women workforce. There is a 4% representation gap between women graduating and entering the workforce in STEM from 2017 to 2021 and as per the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report, India ranks 127th out of 146 countries. India’s evolving economy demands a skilled STEM workforce, yet rural schools struggle to prepare students, perpetuating urban-rural economic gaps. In Assam, high dropout rates and low female representation in STEM highlight systemic barriers that need to be overcome. One in every three children drops out of secondary school in Assam. Additionally, NFHS-5 (2019-21) states that, about 66.4% of women in Assam in the age group of 15-49 years are anemic and 31.8% of women aged 20-24 in Assam were married before the age of 18.

Hence there is an urgent need to encourage girls in rural Assam to build an Agency to make informed life decisions and work towards building a skilled workforce ready to meet future challenges and technological advancements. The project empowers Students and Mothers’ groups, creating sustainable development and leadership opportunities within communities.