Odisha WCD Department, Birla Global University Sign MoU to Empower ADVIKA Adolescent Girls

Bhubaneswar: The Women and Child Development (WCD) Department of the Odisha government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla Global University (BGU), Bhubaneswar, to strengthen the skills and leadership capacities of adolescent girls and peer leaders under the ADVIKA programme.

The MoU was signed on October 15 at the WCD Department’s conference hall in the presence of Dr Mrinalini Darswal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the department, and Prof. Kulbhushan Balooni, Vice-Chancellor of Birla Global University. Dr Darswal signed the agreement on behalf of the department, while Prof. Balooni represented the university. Senior departmental officials and BGU faculty members attended the programme.

The partnership aims to combine the university’s academic expertise with the department’s grassroots outreach to expand learning opportunities for adolescent girls and strengthen community-level support systems.

The Odisha government launched ADVIKA, or “A Path to Adolescent Empowerment”, to unlock the potential of adolescents aged 10–19 years through life-skills education and awareness-generation sessions conducted every Saturday.

Under the MoU, Birla Global University will organise a six-day residential training programme on its Bhubaneswar campus for 50 adolescent girls enrolled under ADVIKA. The programme is intended to provide participants with exposure to a university environment, along with intensive, hands-on learning opportunities.

The agreement also provides for a four-week community-based training programme for 50 ADVIKA Peer Leaders in Nimapada block of Puri district. The training will equip them with skills to guide and support fellow adolescents in their communities.

Speaking at the event, Dr Darswal emphasised the importance of preparing adolescent girls for an increasingly digital and knowledge-driven world. She said that developing relevant skills would help them make informed decisions and emerge as agents of change in their communities. She also appreciated the university for partnering with the department in the initiative.

Prof. Balooni expressed the university’s commitment to the programme and assured participants of quality training and mentorship.

Smt. Sumitra Pattnaik, Additional Secretary of the WCD Department, delivered the welcome address, while Shri Jitendra Kumar Patra, Deputy Secretary of the department, proposed the vote of thanks.

The collaboration is expected to strengthen ADVIKA’s efforts to equip adolescent girls with practical skills, confidence and leadership abilities, while enabling trained peer leaders to extend support to other adolescents at the community level.