International star and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Priyanka Chopra, who is presently in India, recently visited Lucknow for a UNICEF programme and praised Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his efforts to bring positive changes in the state.
She further praised the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for its responsible and positive attitude towards women and also improving their condition in the state.
Priyanka took to Instagram and shared a couple of videos and wrote, "The Poshan (Health) tracker, an app that helps keep track of key health and nutrition information on children and mothers at the click of a button for 1,80,000 'Anganwadi Centres' in the state."
"The Banking Correspondent Sakhi, which provides innovative banking services to people living in rural and remote areas by the use of mobile ATM machines. Women are employed to help provide cash on the spot when there are no banks nearby. It gives these "Sakhi's" the ability to buy just make a real income but have a real standing in their communities," she said.
It was so inspiring to see this technology being embraced irrespective of their age or education, and is delivering change at scale, she stated.
She further said education changes lives and when that includes breaking gender norms and tradition, it can redefine the thinking of a new generation.
"I saw this first hand during a visit to a school in Aurangabad Village, with a unique programmme that aims to curb child labour and promote gender equality in everyday life, allowing these children to have equal opportunities to earning a decent livelihood in adulthood," said the actress.
At each of the centres, children are being introduced to life skills, including 60 different basic technologies in an innovative learning model - everything from cooking for boys to solar energy for girls - in order to break down gender norms. The students were so engaged in these learnings and proud to be passing them onto parents, siblings, family and friends, said Priyanka.
"I was hugely impressed. We need to think about how we can look at tools like this for all children across the country.... Because change needs to begins at childhood," she added.