Engage&Empower girls & boys for Girl Effect-India

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! 

Hope the new year 2021 will bring new hopes and opportunities for all of us!

IDEA Foundation started skill development programs for women from under privileged communities to help them make a living to support themselves and their families. We have successfully completed many batches in tailoring, beautician and home chef courses. In addition to that we have also trained many women in short term courses like bag making, candle making and other art and craft courses which enabled them to earn a living in a short span. Though COVID 19 crisis forced us to lockdown our regular classes, we are able to continue our training programs through virtual platforms. The success stories we get to hear from our beneficiaries even in this pandemic situation is really an encouragement to all of us. 

Let me share with you a couple of stories. 

Reshmi is a great role model for all of us. From house wife to home chef, home chef to entrepreneur, entrepreneur to a cooking teacher, Reshmi's transformation did not end there. She kept on updating herself with new skills and adapted to the changes happening in her surroundings. After attending our short-term home chef classes, she became confident in her natural talents in cooking and started her own catering business. She started taking orders for homemade snacks too. She decided to share her knowledge with other women who are from similar background and encouraged them to improve their culinary skills too. 

Simultaneously she found time to attend our NDLM centre and updated herself with computer skills needed to run her business. Now at this time of lock down, her computer knowledge came handy, she started her own YouTube channel through which she teaches cooking to thousands of followers. Her story is inspiring not only to her family and close friends, but also to each one of us in IDEA team as she gives us motivation to continue even in this time of crisis and confusion. 

 
Madhavi is another great example of determination, determination to achieve one's dreams, even in adverse situation. After dropping out from school after 10th standard, she was working as an assistant in a beauty parlor in Mumbai. She got married very early and had to move to Pune leaving her small job and started her family. But when she came to know about IDEAs advanced beauty parlor course, she joined it and soon after completing it she got a job in a beauty parlor here. She felt very confident and her family was proud of her too. 

Madhavi was earning enough to support herself and was very proud of her achievement till the pandemic started and the parlor where she was working got shut down. Dreams shattered once again. Many of our women beneficiaries are facing similar difficulties due to lock down. IDEA organized different webinars for these women to encourage them to look for alternate paths. We are also giving information and guidelines to be followed according to the instructions from government for safety during this pandemic. 

Madhavi attended one of these webinars, and decided to start her own parlor where she could take the complete responsibility of the service she is providing. Her family supported her decision and stood with her once again. As she had also attended our entrepreneurship development programs, she had acquired enough knowledge to start her own parlor.   She inaugurated her beauty parlor in August 2020 and she is strictly following all the guidelines and protocols there for the safety of the customers. 

Dear donors, we have many such success stories from our beneficiaries,and you have helped us to make a difference in their lives. Please continue to support us in the coming years. 

Thank you!