A “Back to School” campaign aimed at empowering women and strengthening community participation was launched on Wednesday at Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV), Langol Khullen, under Machi Block in Tengnoupal district.

The campaign was flagged off by Smt. Melthra Tarao, District Mission Manager (DMM) of the Manipur State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MSRLM), Tengnoupal. Speaking at the launch event, Smt. Tarao highlighted that the initiative was spearheaded by Kawar Nupuinu Multipurpose Co-operative Society Limited, Laiching Kangshang, under the Machi Sub-division.

The campaign, introduced for the first time in the district, follows a community-driven learning model inspired by Kerala’s Kudumbashree framework. It aims to build the capacity of Self Help Groups (SHGs), promote gender equality, and foster inclusive development through school-like training sessions.

Key thematic areas of the programme include Social Inclusion and Social Development (SISD), Food, Nutrition, Health and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), Gender Equality, and PRI-CBO (Panchayati Raj Institutions – Community-Based Organisations) convergence.

As part of the initiative, SHG members will be equipped with essential knowledge and practical tools to actively contribute to their families, communities, and local governance structures. The campaign emphasizes informed and inclusive participation of women in all aspects of development.

A total of 123 SHG members from two Village Level Federations — Tangbangna VLF of Langol Khullen and Kertilna VLF of Khunbi village — participated in the launch.

The event was also attended by Md. Nazmul Huda Khan, MCS, Sub-Divisional Officer of Machi; Arif Sajad, SDC Tengnoupal; and staff from Machi Primary Health Centre.