Smart City is not all about smart technologies, high-tech gadgets and world class infrastructure.
To become smart in an inclusive society, we have to ensure progress of all citizens in the society.
With this objective, a three-day training programme of 30 peer leaders (girls) from eight slums from Bhubaneswar Town Center District or Smart District began here on Wednesday.
Peer leaders or “Pragati Sathi’’ as they would be referred to in future, would be the change agents for the much sought after ‘Socially Smart City Project.’
The main objective of the training is that girls will be the change agents in their communities.
The peer leaders will conduct a series of meetings and transact learning in the community and family level to create awareness on gender-based discrimination, child marriage and menstrual management etc.
This will ensure social changes, which, in long run would help to ensure a healthy and smart society.
Rubin Das (18), a peer leader from Shantipalli Basti said, “Training through various activities is very interesting for me and I will give my best to sensitize the community and family as well.”
“I never attended such training and now I am confident enough to sensitize my family as well the community,” said Swarnaprava Patnaik (20), another peer leader from Saheed Nagar Telugu Basti.
This training was organized by the Bhubaneswar Smart City limited and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The Humara Bachpan Trust is the project implementing partner and has signed a MoU with BSCl in January 2017.
The main objective of the project is to develop a youth-centric and youth-led integrated social intervention model to support citizen connect initiative and promote safety and security of girls and women in Bhubaneswar with specific focus on urban slums, through community partnerships.