With a growth rate of 24% over the past decade, the city of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh has a population of over 3.4 million, 21% of whom are considered the urban poor. It is characterized by its high density, poor infrastructure and lack of civic amenities. Illegal activity and crime rates are high, along with elevated school dropout rates, especially among girls. Adolescents between the ages of 12-16 are the most at-risk to prematurely leaving school and working in informal urban sectors. Young girls aged 12-18 are even more vulnerable to dropping out, as they are typically forced into arranged marriages. Overall, lack of access to education and the opportunity to acquire new skills reinforces the ongoing inter-generational transfer of poverty.