Project HOPE
HOPE stands for Hope, Opportunities, Protection and Entrepreneurship. The three-year project started in May 2023 and concluded in April 2026. The project has made significant progress towards achieving the objectives and has established a strong foundation for sustainable community-based support systems and youth development in 30 villages bordering Gumla and Simdega districts of Jharkhand. These are some of the poorest districts in the country.
The project played an important role in mobilising and engaging vulnerable children and youth. 1,135 children were actively participating in 47 children's clubs and 828 youth were engaged in 33 youth clubs. Regular club meetings, life skills sessions, sports activities, Earn While You Learn initiatives, and rights-based awareness programmes have contributed to improving participation, confidence, leadership skills, and social awareness among children and youth. These clubs became safe spaces where children and youth could talk about social issues, build leadership skills, improve confidence, and learn from one another.
55 youth and 22 children have initiated local micro-enterprise ventures. Youth who started entrepreneurial activities said they felt more confident and started thinking about earning locally instead of migrating unsafely. Some of the enterprises started are, pig rearing, goat rearing, snack stalls, and machine-based activities, using appropriate technology.
Youth club members ready for a game of football
Continued mentoring, support for market linkages and financial literacy need further strengthening for sustainability and growth of these livelihoods.
The project has made good progress in strengthening community awareness and established local mechanisms against unsafe migration and trafficking. Street-Plays were conducted across the villages to raise awareness on importance of education, harmful impact of alcoholism and the risk associated with unsafe migration. The change agents who are trained in our Leadership Academies are now facilitating awareness sessions in schools and villages on child protection, good touch-bad touch, safe migration and social responsibility.
Children posing for a photo at the end of an awareness session in the primary school
Community watch groups are active in all 30 villages and have improved vigilance regarding child protection and unsafe migration. However, poverty, unemployment, climatic vulnerability, and lack of local employment opportunities continue to push some youth toward migration.
The project has further established stronger collaboration between community groups and local duty bearers through trainings and block level interface meetings. Advocacy at higher levels at district and state level remains limited. Overall, the project has demonstrated that community-based structures, youth leadership, and locally relevant livelihoods can play an important role in reducing vulnerability and strengthening resilience among tribal children and youth.
Youth club members picking teams before a game of football
