EMPOWER & IGNITE THE YOUTH FOR A BETTER NATION

Nurturing & Skilling Youth through the ICT

 “ My Daughter is able to put all my vegetable production and shaal leaf plate production record in computer,this is very helpful for me; a and I am quite overwhelmed knowing this now I can prepare for next year.”Father of the youth in Lowakui- Village.

 “I cant imagine that my village girls and boys are able to use computer”… parent in Lowakui

“  We are really thankful to Literacy India with this innovation, these computers document all our agriculture production ” Young Adult in the village.

 About Project Karigari- Vocational Training: Youth Focus

Vocational training program on ICT has evolved in Literacy India in order to provide a step to integrate youth and young adolescents’ group for achieving the three E’s goal (Education, Employment and Empowerment). Its critical to attend to Youth group as  they are in the intermediary stage of psychological development occurring between puberty and legal adulthood which has struggles with the issues of independence and self- identity. Hence, these groups are facing challenges in family, schools and other institutions.  Nature of complains varies according to gender specification. Males are vulnerable; it is found that during this stage they are developing with habits of smoking, alcohol, eve teasing, other illegal activities, peer pressures and involvement with local goons, addiction towards substance abuse of drugs, love affairs and so on. Girls on the other hand get involved in love affairs at a very young age, cannot concentrate in studies, and cannot score properly, not attending the schools etc. From the children perspective, there are feedbacks against adults such as high expectation, children should engage into part-time work so that children can contribute in the family, exploring marriage options for girls while girls are not ready.

In this psychological milieu of the youth and with this background the vocational training for computers came into operation, as Technology absorbs a lot of negative energy. It helps the young to learn and gain knowledge about ICT and builds aspiration for future jobs.  In present day world, basic computer learning is always required and youth also realised that.  Literacy India is dealing with the youth who are underprivileged and coming from socially and economically backword community. They might not get the opportunity to have the basic computer knowledge while they are studying in school and colleges. As a result, they would again face challenges at the time of interview in future for job or employment opportunities.  Hence, the aim of this project is basically 1) to ensure a platform for sustainable livelihood where the youth are able to learn computer and prepare themselves with technology so that they would competent to face the challenges of interview for future job selection 2) to safeguard and channelize the youth energy in the proper areas that would able to curb the feeling of disorientation, distress & frustration among youth.

This project is already implemented since the year 1999 in Delhi NCR. Literacy India has accredited to give certified course by Govt of India( NIELT).Over 5000 youth have been trained and are working in various companies in some role or the other such as InfoTech services, Net Ambit, BCube, Oxigen and so on.  IT training under Karigari Project is being implemented in various parts of the country – Microsoft certification is also in process for Literacy India.

Situation in Lowakui Village at Purulia

 Geographically Lowakui is situated in the extreme western part of the district Purulia & coming under Matha Forest in Baghmundi Block. The village is dominated by “Bhumij” tribes.  These Bhumij communities are known as Singsardar and Singmura. Hence, earlier the village was named as Sardardih. The village is remote and placed within the small hills and dense forest where communication between the places is really challenging.  The main occupation or livelihoods are forest collection and mono-cropping agricultural farming. Forest Collection, at times was sent them behind bar under Indian Forest Act, hence was risky. Govt. and schemes under Govt. were unable to reach them as the area was known as Moaist infested area. As a result, there is seasonal unemployment, wide migration, alcohol addiction & no conscious effort to change the situation. The women were mostly staying at home- few are either engaged in part-time forest collection or in agricultural farming.  Regular alcohol intake & no sustainable income and long leisure among the men & youth folk made them aggressive and violent.  

  About Youth in Lowakui:

 Youth have no work but to aimlessly roaming around; most of them had attended school till Grade- VIII; few have completed school leaving Madhayamik and Higher Secondary Exam. Few are going to the college.   Parents could not mobilise the youth folk to be engaged in agricultural farming also.  Alcoholism, smoking are common behaviour among youth. As they have no work to do they are very easy to get involve in the negative activities such as sexual harassment, assault, eve-teasing on the one hand, and on the other hand in the activities of local goons like stealing, theft and so on.  These youth are tribal- they are very bold and if the energy gets on wrong track can lead to distraught to family memebers.

Against this odds, Literacy India had started computer literacy course in the village for the youth both girls and boys.  It has mobilised local youth who can take training on computer courses in the learning centre. There is orientation regularly from local corporate, local business personnel so that the youth can be tracked in the proper way.

 Activities undertaken:

1. Survey in the villages in order to identify the drop out youth
2. Listing down the youth who have completed Higher Secondary and Graduation and are willing to take up job
3. Parent Teachers along with the Literacy India’s volunteers group meetings were held  within the community for advertisement
4. Admission of the youth were taken place
5. Identify and recruit a teacher who can regularly guide the youth
6. Regular evaluation and assessment of the  youth are taking place in the learning centre
7. Regular English classes are taking place through TVC/ BBC learning English Module
8. CV and Resume making classes were taking place
9. Mock Interview and how to handle the situation in the interview was taking place
10. Orientation of the youth from local business personnel had taken place about career counselling and goal setting.

Achievements of the program:

1. Total 67 youth have been enrolled in the learning centre in April, 2015.
2. Group had been divided among them and these 67 are regular in the learning centre.
3. 27 boys and girls are identified as potential candidate who are ready to take up the job in any organisation.

Overall Impact of the program:

Community:

• Community is very happy and members of the community are mobilizing the youth from other villages too.
• Community feels proud as their young adults groups are becoming tech-savvy.
• Parents group are happy as their children can make the simple accounts keeping in the excel sheet like selling of paddy and quantity, selling of pattal ( shaal leaf plate) quantity and also the growth of paddy quantity, storage of vegetables like potatoes, onions and garlics and so on.

 Behavioral change:

• A lot of change has been observed in the behaviour of among youth. Youth earlier were roaming aimlessly and wasting time; now it was observed that they discuss about different govt. competitive exam news, district based local employment opportunities and so on
• Earlier it was observed that they used to come to the centre with untidy cloths- at present after long discussion and orientation they used to come with proper dress code and there is definite grooming.

 Challenges faced:

• Still there are absenteeism among youth without any reason
• If there is assessment or exam—there is a tendency to avoid the exams.

Story of change:

Name: Nandlaal Mahato (name changed) Location: West Bengal India

 Nandalal Mahato (name changed) is 18 years old and he belongs to very poor family.  His father is a daily labour and mother is house wife. He is an eldest son of the family.  Parents have expectation on him who can support the family properly after completion of academic course.  Nandalal, did not know about his career path, after the training he has chosen a  career path .  He is now planning to appear various  govt.competitive exams for getting the jobs. In his own word “Yes, I agree – if I had not come here in Literacy India’s learning centre I would not have known about the competitive exam—I am really grateful to it to Literacy India as in my mind I am getting confident day by day to face interview and challenges”

Name: Supriya Majhi (name changed) Location: West Bengal India

Supriya Majhi (name changed) is 19 years old lady is studying Higher Secondary in BaghMundi Girls High School.  Her father has already refused to afford the educational fees for schools and Pvt. Tuition. She is facing very hard to sustain her Education.  She is doing Pvt. Tuition for children in local area to support her own education. She has a dream to do the job of teacher in school. In order to make her dream in practical level she started preparing herself; thatswhat she joined in Computer Literacy and focussed particularly in English course. She can write English but  has hesitation in speaking.  In her own word “this centre helps me lot; I can learn & practice computer, after completion of course I am planning to buy an old computer and continue my practice at home”

Links:

• Literacy India 2015