Room to Read Mumbai

What We Learned from Visiting a Girls’ Education Program in Mumbai

In April, our India-based Key Account Manager, Stephanie Fernandes, had the opportunity to step inside a classroom at Ganesh Nagar School in Mumbai and see firsthand how education programs can create real, measurable impact.

The visit focused on Room to Read’s Girls’ Education Program, a long-term initiative designed to equip adolescent girls with the life skills, confidence and support they need to complete their education and shape their futures.

For Travel Sentry, supporting initiatives like Room to Read is part of a wider commitment to responsible business and meaningful partnerships.

Inside the Classroom

During the visit, Stephanie joined a Grade 9 Life Skills session on “Being a Role Model,” led by Social Mobilizer Neha Gabru, which was an interactive and reflective session. 

Students were encouraged to reflect on the people they admire and to recognize those same qualities within themselves.

The girls explored:

• Who their role models are 
• What traits they admire 
• When they’ve demonstrated those same strengths in their own lives 

Neha encouraged students to share personal experiences and moved into a practical activity, where students explored how they can consciously develop these qualities and apply them to become positive role models within their families, schools and communities.

Beyond the Classroom

Following the session, discussions with students and staff made it clear that the impact extends far beyond the classroom.

Students shared noticeable improvements in:

• Self-confidence and communication 
• Decision-making abilities 
• Clarity around future goals 

Even more telling were the changes at home. Many spoke about increased parental encouragement, including families beginning to plan and save for future education. Others spoke about reduced gender-based bias, highlighting how programs like this can influence not just individuals, but entire households.

Stephanie also visited the school’s Life Skills Center, gaining a closer look at how the program is delivered in practice. She explored key materials, including grade-specific session planners and the She Creates Change stories, which form the foundation of the Girls’ Education curriculum.

“My visit to the Ganesh Nagar school was both insightful and inspiring. The students’ confidence, awareness of their rights and the thoughtful questions they asked clearly demonstrate not only how much they are learning through the Girls Education Program but also how deeply they are engaging with the sessions,” Key Account Manager, Stephanie Fernandes.

One moment from the visit that stood out in particular was when asked which of the 13 sessions was their favorite, one student highlighted “Girls’ Rights and Human Rights.” She explained that the session helped her understand what her rights are and when she can say no. This reflected the deeper purpose of the program: building awareness, confidence and the ability to make informed decisions.

In a recent discussion with Poornima Garg, India Country Director at Room to Read, we gained further insight into the measurable impact of the program:

• Children in literacy programs achieve reading and comprehension rates up to 3x higher than their peers 
• 90% of girls in the Girls’ Education Program complete secondary school 
• Programs are evolving to include gender equity initiatives that engage boys as part of the solution 

Travel Sentry has committed to expanding its support, directing our donation to the Girls’ Education Program in India, alongside our existing support of the Cambodia program, which began seven years ago.