Project Aim:
The project aims for an elementary school for only girls from class one to class six. The school may also target to encourage the primary level education of the girls of the neighboring villages and the provision of transport service by an in-house bus facility will facilitate this. Along with the provision of education at the primary level, the project shall also target vocational training of the women of the village as well as the neighboring villages in skill development of traditional arts like embroidery and block printing. These pieces of training will help in preserving and enhancing traditional techniques while
Establishing economic independence for the village women, their families, and their communities. The education, freedom, and empowerment gained by the participants in the Centre will, in turn, encourage more families to educate their daughters.
Site Context:
The gender gap in literacy is because women predominantly preferred to stay at home Performing domestic duties. Moreover, Rajasthan has a high number of child marriages and a shockingly high rate of female infanticide. This prevents many girls from obtaining an education and thus contributes to inconsistent gender ratio biases towards the male members. This inhuman cycle of female infanticide, child marriage, and lack of education leads the entire community, especially its women, into a life of poverty and unemployment. The statistics of the census provide very convincing evidence that females in the rural area of Jaisalmer face different obstacles in developing literacy, skills, and other educational opportunities. The design project aims to enhance gender parity in literacy through the cooperation of the senior female members of the communities. The project site is in the village of Mulana( the village is at a distance of approximately 52 KMS from Jaisalmer town) and is located next to the existing Middle high school.
Social Context:
Rajasthan is the largest state in terms of area. It has a total population of 6.86 crores and ranks lowest in female literacy at 52.66%. Further 75.1% of Rajasthan’s population lives in rural areas. Jaisalmer is one of the largest districts in Rajasthan and Jaisalmer tehsil has the highest percentage of the rural population at 89.3%. The literacy rate of rural women stands at 35.54% in comparison to the rural male literacy rate of 69.42%.
Concept:
Women Opportunity Centre is a complex where women are motivated to empower a skill through vocational Training Sessions. The complex also comprises of a primary school for Girls; that encourages the women to bring their daughters to the complex and educate them. The complex also has a Multi-Purpose Hall that can hold any type of function and a Souvenir shop. To reduce the heat gain in the Complex the open spaces are provided with solar panels and interior spaces are defined by Walls that are Vernacular in construction.
