University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

The Purkal Project: A model for effective social intervention through education in Rural India

Dimopoulos, Carol

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/106068

Description

Title
The Purkal Project: A model for effective social intervention through education in Rural India
Author(s)
Dimopoulos, Carol
Issue Date
2020-01-20
Keyword(s)
  • Women's empowerment
  • Social intervention
  • Feminization of poverty
Geographic Coverage
Northern India
Abstract
Original research is presented on The Purkal Project- change-makers in social intervention that provide free, world class education and vocational development in an economically challenged rural community in the Himalayan Region of Northern India. The paper presents a focus on the feminization of poverty in India, the history of the society, project development, and successes and failures realized, as well as future goals. Societal engagement through family and education are core fundamentals of development and community empowerment. However, social conditions exist which contribute to and perpetuate women's state of poverty. Addressing the conditions is essential before inquiring whether there is compelling evidence that social intervention projects can have a lasting impact on societal development in rural Northern India. Although this research does examine trends over time, the cautionary note that correlation does not equal causation applies. In particular, changes in rural societies must begin with the examination of women's status, which is related to other components of development that benefit children and society as well as oppositional factors which could impede a woman's agency. The paper provides the argument that the Purkal Project has created a successful social intervention which has developed sustainable methods of poverty alleviation, encouraging agency and empowerment for women and their families in economically challenged rural communities in the Himalayan Region of Northern India.
Publisher
Office of International Programs. College of Education. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Type of Resource
text
Language
en
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/106068
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2020 Carol Dimopoulos

Owning Collections

University of Illinois Global Education Symposium 2019 PRIMARY
Proceedings from the 2019 University of Illinois Global Education Symposium