Priyanka Chopra Instagram – As we’ve always said, education changes lives. It’s a fact! 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 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 . During my interactions with the Meena Manch (platform for children in schools to discuss and voice their views), the young members performed a powerful skit on ending violence. In addition to teaching them to stand up and speak up in the face of violence, and more importantly ensuring the boys understand their responsibilities in curbing violence and breaking the cycle. 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.