While in some parts of India, many expectant parents still say
they’d prefer bearing sons, members of the Piplantri village, in
the western state of Rajasthan, are breaking this trend by
celebrating the birth of each baby girl in way that benefits
everyone. For every female child that’s born, the community
gathers to plant 111 fruit trees in her honor in the village
common. This unique tradition was first suggested by the
village’s former leader, Shyam Sundar Paliwal, in honor of his
daughter who had passed away at a young age. But planting trees
is only one way that the community is ensuring a brighter future
for their daughters. According to a report in The Hindu,
villagers also pool together around $380 dollars for every new
baby girl and deposited in an account for her. The girl’s
parents are required to contribute $180, and to make a pledge to
be considerate guardians. “We make these parents sign an
affidavit promising that they would not marry her off before the
legal age, send her to school regularly a