History

Khandel light is a Hertfordshire-based charity, working in the Rajasthan area of India, with our partner NGO - Nirman Sanstha. The charity was set up in 2000 to help offset the effects of global warming, already felt in the desert area of Khandel, where drought and decreasing rainfall had already started to accelerate migration to large cities.

Starting with the provision of clean water – still the biggest cost for us - we moved on to health education, employing local women to promote literacy, training schemes, educational bursaries, and most recently setting up a Girls’ Parliament, giving young women a voice.

The Girls’ Parliament is a quarterly gathering where young women can come together safely, and discuss and debate their anxieties, needs, and wants. As many as 700 girls now attend. With elected MPs, a Cabinet, and Prime Minister, they are able to recommend positive and effective interventions within their communities and develop a valuable skill set to take into the future.

Khandel light supports the entire community, but with a strong focus on the rights of women. The educational bursaries, training schemes, and distribution of much-prized computer tablets has enabled young women to be readily employable, and gain some financial independence.

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