As the largest democracy in the world, India has always been a bastion of hope and progress. Earlier this year, we welcomed a newly formed coalition government, embodying the diverse voices of our nation. At this pivotal juncture, we recognise that the youth are the leaders of tomorrow, and it’s crucial to amplify their voices; especially those of underrepresented groups. In support of this objective, we are thrilled to announce the fifth cohort of our Flagship Ambassadors program! Drawing from the successes and lessons of our previous cohorts, we are proud to present an enhanced program for girls and non-binary individuals across India, ages 14 - 20.
The recent Lok Sabha election has not only altered the political landscape but also highlighted the crucial role of youth in shaping our democracy. With a significant number of first-time voters, including many girls and young women, there is an ever-growing need for all-inclusive political engagement. Our flagship report "Talk Politics to Me," which surveyed over 600 Indian adolescents and youth (ages 14-22), revealed that girls are often less engaged in politics compared to boys and feel they have fewer opportunities to participate. Kuviraa aims to address this gap by providing a safe space for adolescent girls to discuss politics and interact with female leaders and changemakers.
Our goal is to strengthen democracy by building leadership in future and first-time voters. This virtual fellowship will run from November 9th to December 1st, 2024, with workshop sessions between 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM IST on weekends. The program will give you an opportunity to:
Understand our democracy through our parliament and constitution
Reflect on value-based politics and the importance of a representative democracy
Participate in team based problem-solving and simulation exercises
Have a Q&A with expert speakers, including public leaders, non-profit and policy professionals
Build strong bonds and learn from other participants who have different lived experiences than you do but are passionate about the same issues.
Participants from previous cohorts have reported significant improvements in critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, public speaking, and planning skills. Upon completion, all participants will receive a certificate of participation and, if required, a letter of recommendation from our founder.
Eligibility:
To be eligible for this fellowship, you should:
Identify as a woman/girl or non-binary
Be between the ages of 14 - 20 (applicants over 20 will not be considered!)
Be a resident of India
Have a stable internet connection
Ability to work collaboratively in teams
Be available to attend online sessions
Be passionate about a representative democracy, gender issues and girls in leadership
Application Process:
Complete this application form, which includes a video submission (The video submission is not mandatory but highly encouraged). Shortlisted candidates will be invited for a short screening interview with our team.
Program Costs and Scholarships:
The program fee is INR 4,999. We offer needs based (partial and full) scholarships to applicants, as we do not want financial constraints to hinder participation. We aim for diversity in our cohort and encourage applicants from outside the big metros to apply.
Our scholarships are competitive and we cannot guarantee a full scholarship for everyone. If you need a scholarship, please indicate this in your application with well-defined reasons.
Application Deadline: Final deadline: 10 PM IST, October 30th, 2024
Interviews: November 1st - 3rd 2024
We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as applications will close once all spots are filled.
Please read our FAQs section here to learn more about the program. For other questions, please reach out to fellowship@kuviraa.org.
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