Nursing Degree Scholarships in Kerala

India’s gender gap index in 2024 was 64.1%, placing it 129th out of a total of 155 countries. Among the causes are unequal access to education, the risk of gender-based violence, child marriage, the wage gap, and employment discrimination.

Young women in rural areas of Kerala, with a predominantly agricultural economy, face significant barriers to access vocational training, decent employment, and economic autonomy, which perpetuate their vulnerability to poverty and social exclusion.

The Esperanza y Alegría Foundation has been working in India for more than two decades, especially in the state of Kerala, in the areas of education and health. It has collaborated on numerous occasions with the Mundakayam Medical Trust Hospital (MMTH), building a solid model of cooperation focused on health, education, and gender equality in rural areas of India.

Our project consists of financing a full nursing degree at the MMTH School of Nursing for 10 young women in vulnerable situations who have demonstrated good academic performance. The specific objectives of the project are to facilitate these young women access to accredited professional healthcare training (Diploma in General Nursing and Midwifery), promote their social and professional integration into the healthcare system, and strengthen their economic autonomy and role within their family and community, thereby improving access to and the quality of healthcare services in rural areas.

The nursing degree lasts three years and includes, in addition to classroom instruction, professional internships at the hospital and community work in the surrounding area. Likewise, during the two months prior to the start of the academic year, the scholarship recipients have participated in extracurricular training activities to improve hygiene, language skills, and personality development, among other fundamental aspects.

The scholarships cover tuition and academic fees, technical books and educational materials, clinical uniforms and personal protective equipment, and residential accommodation with full board included.

The nursing training program is a crucial tool for breaking the cycle of poverty, empowering young women through quality education, opening up sustainable career prospects in the health sector, and helping to reduce the gender gap.