ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2023
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. 44,000+ student leaders from 3,300+ campuses across 170+ nations applied to join the Class of 2023. 260+ campuses worldwide (just 9%) in 38 countries were selected to host 4,000+ Millennium Fellows for the Class of 2023.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT AARAV VAIDYA, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2023.
Christ (Deemed to be University) Central Campus | Bengaluru, India | Advancing SDG 4 & UNAI 3
Millennium Fellowship Project: Project Pragati
Welcome to Project Pragati, a crucial initiative aimed at spreading menstrual hygiene awareness among young, marginalized children. Millions of girls worldwide face challenges in managing their periods due to stigma, harassment, and lack of access to basic services. This impacts their education, well-being, and overall quality of life.
We emphasize the importance of breaking the silence around menstruation to need to ensure that every girl has the knowledge and resources to manage her period in a healthy and dignified way. We conducted an awareness session for more than 60 disadvantaged students aged 10-13 at Jyothi PU College, in collaboration with an educator from Concerns Universe Foundation, addressing topics from the normalcy of menstruation to hygiene practices and the variety of menstrual products available. We also distributed pamphlets in the local language- Kannada to generate maximum awareness about menstrual practices and hygiene, along with emphasising the local language- Kannada to specially cater to the students from the city's underserved communities.
Established in 2001 by Executive Director Gnana Chitra, Concerns Universe Foundation (CUF) responds to the challenges faced by underserved communities in Bengaluru. Despite the city's affluence, lack of education hinders potential, pushing many into insecure, poorly paid occupations. CUF focuses on community development, driving sustainable change through Education, Healthcare & Vocational skills. Embracing asset-based and needs-based approaches, CUF empowers communities, making individuals agents of change. With a strong rapport developed over time, Concerns works with urban poor, providing education, vocational training, and support for working mothers through Child Development Centres. Concerns Community College (CCC) extends opportunities to deprived young individuals, emphasizing inherent potentials. The Community Health and Development program conducts awareness sessions, promoting health and preventing diseases, marking CUF's commitment to transformative, positive change.
It's crucial to empower girls early, fostering an understanding of their changing bodies and promoting open conversations. By imparting knowledge, we can create a supportive environment where girls can thrive, breaking free from societal taboos and embracing good menstrual health practices. Hence, we partnered with Concerns Foundation to expand our reach and impact for this awareness session.
About the Millennium Fellow
Aarav (he/him/his) is a final year student of Economics, Political Science and Sociology and is passionate about various social issues. He is a native of Ahmedabad, India which is home to the UNESCO World Heritage City (the Walled City). He has lived in various Indian cities since childhood, giving him an appreciation of the diversity and historical complexity India, and the world has to offer. He hopes to leverage his education to create meaningful change and impact people's lives in a positive and long lasting way. Through his project, he hopes to provide recognition to the underprivileged residents and opportunities through outreach (education, drinking water, . After his graduation he hopes to pursue a Public Policy and a Masters in Economics to further create positive change.
