Story of Dokkhinpara

In Dokkhinpara of Byaspur village, a big difference existed between boys and girls: while boys like Rana and his friends played cricket in the field every day, their own and neighbouring sisters stayed indoors, often spending time on mobile phones. Parents never allowed their daughters to play even in the courtyard. Observing this, our facilitator organized a masculinity SALT session with Rana’s team. He asked them to reflect: Do boys and girls get the same chances to enjoy their rights? If not, why? The boys realized that while they had the freedom to play and move around, girls were left behind because of the safe environment, and societal restrictions. With this reflection, Rana and his friends decided to act—they wanted girls in their neighbourhood to enjoy playtime just like them. They began by encouraging the girls to come outside, and together they created posters and spoke with families to build acceptance. Slowly, change started: the girls who once played only on mobile phones began coming out to the courtyard, if not yet the open field, to play and laugh freely. As these shifts took place, tangible results were visible—Rana’s team of boys reduced their phone usage by 1.6 hours and increased study time by 1.1 hours, while Tanzila’s team of girls reduced mobile phone usage by 0.5 hours and increased study time by 0.6 hours. For Tanzila, this shift was life-changing. She reduced her phone use, increased her study hours, felt safer walking to school, and now leads a small team of girls who play together.

Rana’s team also studies more and plays with greater purpose. This simple act of inclusion has begun to reshape thinking in Dokkhinpara—showing that when boys and girls share space with respect, both grow stronger. Tanzila now dreams of becoming a facilitator herself, believing, “The development may not be visible immediately, but its effects will be long-lasting.