After the Covid-19 pandemic, the Indian job industry witnessed a massive growth in the number of small businesses. From freelancers, bakers, home chefs and jewellery designers to painters, artists and tailors, the idea of building a business around one skill has been trending globally. It is safe to say that these young entrepreneurs who have been flooding the Indian job markets are “all-rounders”! Their businesses stem from the backyards of their homes, and the wide world of social media gives wings to their work. But what’s the one thing that is common across this new culture? Skill.
Unfortunately, quality education seems like a far-fetched dream to youth who come from low-income backgrounds. They spend most of their formative years with limited access to opportunities to upskill and develop skills that can earn them a monthly income. To help youth, especially girls and women develop job skills, Giving for Good and Vision Rescue Foundation have partnered for a unique skills training course to empower youth with skill development.
Through this campaign, tailoring, henna, hand embroidery, fabric-bag making, and hair & beauty are five key skills that are introduced to the older sisters and mothers of the students who have been enrolled with Vision Rescue’s education programs. These courses range from three months to two weeks each and are delivered within Community Service Centres inside the target slum communities. Successful graduates of these courses come together to form Self-Help Groups (SHG) & Micro-Enterprise Development (MED) that empower them to independently process business orders, create a work ecosystem and achieve financial independence.
Culinary skills including cooking, kitchen maintenance, and food & beverage storage are also targeted at empowering youth within slum communities with job-ready skills for the hospitality industry. This is a three-month course which focuses on in-house training for the first two months at Vision Rescue’s state-of-the-art Culinary Training Institute facility in Mumbai, followed by a one-month field internship, that helps all candidates find high-paying jobs at the hospitality industry.
This one-of-a-kind initiative focuses on empowering 117 youth from three slum communities in Mumbai, Maharashtra, namely Shivajinagar slum community, Kalwa slum community and Mandala slum community. This campaign encourages young girls and women from marginalized communities to make successful careers that revolve around one or more skills – just like any other small business owner or freelancer. It empowers them to earn a living, earn a name for themselves and bring extra income to their household.
This campaign aligns with two of Giving for Good’s 4Es approach – Empowerment and Employability, which is why the team at GfG is beyond excited to sponsor these skill development courses for 117 youth 2022 onwards. We hope this partnership with Vision Rescue will double our impact and help us empower hundreds more.