The Government of Meghalaya, with support from the World Bank, has launched the pilot phase of the MPOWER Project—a six-year, multisectoral initiative focused on enhancing the wellbeing, resilience, and future readiness of adolescents aged 9–19. The project aims to build human capital by improving life skills, mental health, learning outcomes, and career preparedness.
To refine strategies ahead of a state-wide rollout, the pilot is being implemented in West Garo Hills, South West Khasi Hills, and East Jaintia Hills, covering both urban and rural blocks. The pilot targets in-school and out-of-school adolescents, delivering life skills education through schools and community-based platforms.
Key Components of the Pilot
- Life Skills Education in Schools
Trained teachers are conducting weekly, activity-based sessions for Grades 6–8 using a locally adapted curriculum aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Sessions focus on communication, empathy, decision-making, and problem-solving.
- Out-of-School Engagement
Out-of-school adolescents are being engaged through Community Youth Clubs and upgraded Chief Minister’s Youth Centres (CMYCs). Locally recruited Youth Facilitators are delivering sessions on life skills, arts, and employability.
- Capacity Building
Master Trainers, Teachers, Youth Facilitators, and Coaches are being trained across all three districts. The capacity-building effort is supported by partners such as Magic Bus India Foundation and Sauramandala Foundation, and overseen by the State Project Management Unit (SPMU) under the Planning Department.
- Monitoring & Evaluation
A dedicated MIS platform is tracking all school and community sessions. Regular reviews and field visits by district and block-level officials will ensure quality and address implementation challenges.
- Infrastructure & Materials
The pilot includes upgrading CMYCs, providing learning materials in Khasi and Garo, and distributing sports and art kits. IEC campaigns and local art installations will generate awareness and community engagement.
The MPOWER pilot is designed to be scalable and context-sensitive, reflecting the social and geographic diversity of Meghalaya. By investing in adolescent wellbeing today, the project seeks to shape a generation that is resilient, confident, and future-ready.
Following implementation, the pilot will undergo a formal evaluation and refinement. Multiple departments—Education, Health, Sports & Youth Affairs—and community organisations are coordinating through sub-PMUs to ensure delivery and local ownership ahead of the state-wide scale-up.