By Capt. Indraani Singh Grewal | CEO & Managing Trustee
The Karigari Skills Program unlocks creativity, potential, and livelihood opportunities across a wide range of trades, from stitching and dressmaking, beauty and wellness, painting, electrical and solar technician training, mobile repairing, knitting and embroidery, and basic IT skills to future-focused courses such as Power BI, Graphic Design, and Digital Marketing.
The program bridges the gap between traditional skills and emerging opportunities, enabling learners to adapt to the evolving demands of the digital economy and build sustainable career pathways. Recognizing women and youth as key drivers of sustainable development, Project Karigari focuses on three critical domains:
For over three decades, Literacy India has worked towards integrating technology with education and skill development, continuously evolving its programs in response to changing learning and employment needs. As the focus on job-ready and industry-relevant skills continues to grow, Project Karigari works to ensure that learners, particularly those from underserved communities, are equipped to participate meaningfully in the changing world of work.
Impact: Our Approach
Skills That Create Pathways to Empowerment
At Literacy India, we believe that skill-building goes beyond livelihood. It is a pathway to empowerment, confidence, and economic independence. With a special focus on youth and women, including those from underserved communities, Project Karigari is helping learners build relevant skills, strengthen their confidence, explore employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, and create more resilient futures.Through a combination of grassroots skills, digital learning, professional training, career guidance, and entrepreneurship support, Project Karigari continues to create pathways where skills translate into opportunities and aspirations can move closer to reality.
Story of Change- Biswajeet (name changed)
Biswajeet (name changed), a young man from Ekra village, is an example of how a practical skill, when combined with determination and opportunity, can become the beginning of a new direction in life. Six months ago, Biswajeet enrolled in the Mobile Repairing Course at Literacy India’s Purulia Centre. The six-month vocational programme is designed to equip rural youth with practical skills that can help them find employment or create their own livelihoods. Biswajeet (name changed) grew up in a modest family. His father, Late Bibhuti (name changed), was a farmer and the family’s only earning member. His death five years ago left Biswajeet, his mother Saraswati Majhi (name changed), and his two elder married sisters facing difficult circumstances. As the only son, Biswajeet felt responsible for supporting his mother and contributing to the household. He had enrolled in a Arts degree course after completing his schooling, but financial difficulties made it impossible for him to continue. With limited opportunities and no vocational skill to fall back on, he spent several months looking for work without finding a stable source of income.
It was during a village mobilisation visit by the Literacy India team that he learnt about the Mobile Repairing Course at the Purulia Centre. The possibility of learning a practical skill and building a livelihood appealed to him, and he decided to enrol.
His commitment soon became evident. Every day, he cycled several kilometres to reach the centre, regardless of the weather. His regular attendance, discipline and eagerness to learn made him one of the most committed learners in his batch. The training went beyond repairing mobile phones. Alongside technical skills, Biswajeet learnt about customer service, record keeping and the basics of managing a small business. He gained confidence by working hands-on with damaged mobile phones collected from the community and gradually began to see the possibility of building something of his own.
On completing the course, Biswajeet (Name Changed)chose not to wait for a formal job. He decided to start a small mobile repair shop in his village.This was where training translated into action. With limited savings and support from his mother, he took the first steps towards setting up his shop. Literacy India’s seed funding support further helped him by providing a toolkit and essential equipment needed to begin his work.The early months were not easy. Building a customer base in a village takes time, particularly for someone starting from scratch. Biswajeet relied on the skills he had learnt, while building trust through honest service and consistent work.
He initially earned around 5,000–6,000 a month. Within three months, as his customer base grew, he expanded the range of repair-related services he offered and increased his monthly income to approximately 10,000. For Biswajeet(Name changed) , however, the change is about more than income. “This training not only gave me a skill but also gave me the confidence to stand on my own feet.” His journey reminds us that vocational training is not only about completing a course or receiving a certificate. It is about giving a young person the confidence to use what they have learnt, take that first step, and keep moving forward.
At Literacy India, some of the stories we value most are those of learners who take a skill, apply it in their own lives and continue to improve, earn and grow—day by day.
Because learning becomes meaningful when it is used to build a better future.
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By Capt. Indraani Singh | CEO & Managing Trustee
By Capt. Indraani Singh | CEO & Managing Trustee
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