What role do you think a young girl plays in society? If we were living in ancient times, the answer would be different, but today, the world is all about women empowerment from a young age, and we have women acing it in every possible way. We are slowly but surely progressing towards a world with equal rights for women in all sectors of society, so no woman feels susceptible to discrimination.
But this movement is incomplete without considering the conditions of young girls and women who might not be as privileged as those who can voice their opinions. A concerning percentage of India’s population lives in slums with limited to no access to the most basic amenities. This population is poverty stricken, often crippled by unemployment, and struggles to make an everyday living.
Women and girls who come from these low-income families are among the worst affected by discrimination and exploitation. In most households, since the breadwinner is a male, the women are considered the lower gender, which robs them of their independence and individuality. Due to a poor financial background, girls are forced to drop out of school or are kept from education all together.
With a solid Indian history of women being strong leaders, smart entrepreneurs, and highly skilled individuals, these young girls and women have a lot more to offer. If empowered, they have the power to end the cycle of poverty for their family. All they need is support and proper guidance.
With an aim to empower and nurture the young talent of India and create an employable all-female force, Giving for Good has partnered with the Vision Rescue to develop an "Empower Women with Skill Development" campaign focusing on the skill development of young girls and women of the slum communities in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Our Approach
Females make up nearly half of the population. Their upliftment is vital for a balanced society with equality and inclusive economic growth. We have made it our initiative to educate and empower the slum communities to learn employable skills and help the women financially support their families with different courses designed for them.
Unique training courses like Tailoring, Mehendi, Hand Embroidery, Fabric-bag Making and Hair & Beauty are offered to the mothers and sisters of children enrolled with Vision Rescue’s education campaigns. Beneficiaries spend two weeks to three months, depending on their choice of course, under the mentorship of a highly specialized team of trainers. Once they have enrolled in the course, GfG and Vision Rescue work together to ensure that they always receive complete attention and support.
Pursuing these unique sets of skills instills confidence and boosts their self-esteem, which only helps them learn better and faster. Students face no difficulty when they step out for the first time as prospective employees because they have become proficient in industry standard skills.
Successful graduates of a course unite to form Self-Help Groups (SHG) and Micro-Enterprise Development (MED), where they take their first steps towards financial independence. These groups are the safety net for the newly graduated students, who could still learn from their fellow peers. Here they learn how to process business orders, create a work ecosystem for themselves, and develop many other soft skills in a safe and fulfilling environment with help always within their reach.
This skill development program not only teaches young girls and women employable skills, but it also works to end generational poverty.
Impact
With the unique set of courses, the initiative aims to empower 185 girls and women from the Kalwa slum community in Mumbai. Since the courses range from two weeks to three months, the students have the liberty to learn one or more in order to achieve their financial goals. These classes are conducted within Vision Rescue’s Community Service Centres, located in the target slum community, which makes them manageable for women with other commitments.
We encourage you to be a part of our online donation to skill development not because you should, but because you want to. Donation for education and employability, although a small step, creates a much bigger impact. Poverty isn’t their fault, but don’t you think they deserve a shot at defeating it? You can 'literally' change a life with a little bit of empathy and a few clicks, and we promise that your donation empowers young girls and women. The question is - Do you choose to do it?
