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SAFAL (Skills Advancement for Able Leadership) Phase II

Background

Building on the success of SAFAL Phase I, which reached over 7,800 SHG leaders, SAFAL Phase II focused on deepening life skill engagement and collective action in Bhagwanpur Block. This phase integrated climate resilience components alongside the existing PACE curriculum, creating a dynamic, locally contextualized and impactful leadership program for women.

Scope of Intervention

SAFAL II aimed to:

  • Equip women with leadership, communication, and decision-making skills.
  • Strengthen SHG capacities for collective action on WASH and climate change.
  • Promote climate resilience through participatory, locally rooted approaches.
  • Reach 20,000 SHG members using a cascade training model.

Program Lead & Collaborators

  • Project Concern International (PCI) India – Project design, training, monitoring and field support.
  • JEEViKA (BRLPS) – Community mobilization, local facilitation, and scale-up planning.
  • GAP Inc. (PACE Curriculum) – Curriculum content and initial trainer support.
  • Community Mobilizers (CMs) – Trained as master trainers for cascading the PACE curriculum.
  • Community Champions – Local leaders and theatre performers promoting key messages on life skills and gender equality.

 

The Program Plan

  1. Training & Capacity Building
  • 154 Community Mobilizers were trained on 5 modules of the PACE curriculum and climate action integration.
  • Modules included: Communication, Problem Solving & Decision-Making, Time & Stress Management, Financial Literacy, Water & Sanitation.
  • CMs cascaded this training to 1,745 SHGs, reaching ~18,000 women.
  1. Curriculum Customization
  • Phase II modules were adapted with practical examples from SHG life.
  • Storytelling and participatory methods were embedded as SBCC tools to foster climate action awareness.
  • Modules emphasized gender sensitivity, financial planning, sanitation practices, and environmental responsibility.
  1. Community Champions & Theatre Engagement 
  • 18 trained community champions were mobilized to lead local theatres.
  • 3 theatre teams developed and performed 12 plays aligned with PACE modules, especially highlighting gender and climate themes.
  • Champions were also trained in scriptwriting to enhance ownership and sustainability of the theatre model.
  1. School Engagement
  • Participatory sessions on climate resilience were conducted with 200 schoolchildren, led by CLF leaders and project trainers, to promote intergenerational awareness.

 

Outcome

  • 18,000 SHG women exposed to leadership and life skills training in one block.
  • 154 Community Mobilizers trained and actively engaged in SHG-level outreach.
  • 18 community champions deployed across three theatre teams, generating broad-based community engagement.
  • Introduction of SBCC tools significantly enhanced community reflection and participation on climate issues.