Together for a more just and caring society

RDT’s Professional School of Foreign Languages, set up in 2012, aims to tackle the problems derived from the lack of access to quality higher education for students come from rural underprivileged communities, by providing recent university graduates with the opportunity to strength language skills in English, learn computer science, a second language (French, Spanish and German), and even soft skills to prepare themselves for the workforce. Throughout the year long program, they have the chance to join other graduates in an intensive training program that provides the resources to find corporate sector jobs in urban areas and be successful.

The Professional School provides much more than an education – it provides a much needed community and support system for these young graduates. “We are eager to improve our English, which is very important when looking for a quality job to be able to support our families,” says Naveen, one of the students at the school. “To us, this school is more than just academics. We share the classes, the meals… everything. During our free time, we support and help each other!”

Teachers organise games, seminars and interactive discussions with alumni and visitors, from India and abroad, to help students expand their exposure and develop their personalities. They work as well on the importance of compassion, gender neutrality and fair play, values that go beyond the workplace. The students also provide valuable feedback to the lessons and the program, which is empowering in itself.

RDT encourages the enrolment of people with disabilities and collaborates with other non profit organisations to develop synergies with multinational companies to facilitate their employment. For many of these students, these classes not only prepare them for a future in the workforce, but also to empower them and help them grow more confident in their abilities. “We want to tell other students and people surrounded by stigma and discrimination that they shouldn’t let that stop them. They should not be afraid but instead, must believe in themselves and know that they are able to reach their goal,” said one of the students.

In the academic year 2017-18, a new centre for girls opened in RDT’s campus in Bathalapalli that offers a six-month programme that works only on English language and soft skills. In total, the project has three residential centres, two for girls (more than half of students) and one for boys, where 386 youths aged between 21 to 25 are currently studying. A total of 112 girls and 124 boys have already secured quality jobs in the corporate sector of the government, mostly in big cities. Since its inception, 997 young graduates have studied at RDT’s Professional School of Foreign Languages.

The school is associated with other institutes like the Goethe Institute, the Alliance Française and the Institute of Foreign Language and Culture that issue language certificates following official examinations.

TESTIMONIAL

“Students in this school are nurtured to become dynamic professionals in their respective fields with training in a foreign language.” Geethanjali. V, Principal, Professional School of Foreign Languages

“Their strength and desires to continue their education make these the students every teacher wishes to have: motivated, eager to learn, and thankful for the opportunities they have. You don’t know what strength is until it’s all you can be. This is, without a doubt, what all these students are teaching me.” Yolanda Vicente, volunteer teacher

SUCCESS STORY

“I belong to a BC community and was brought up in poor living conditions. My father worked very hard to support our family and had to do extra labour work in Uravakonda town. I studied in the Government schools and college, where my education was conducted free of cost and language medium was Telugu. I graduated in B. Com. In my village many would oppose to my education and advise my father to stop my education and get me married. But my parents were supportive and never stopped me from continuing my education.

However, our family and financial situation was getting worse as we were in debt. Despite having education, I was dependent on them. I could not get a job due to lack of communication skills and lack of fluency in English. One day, I met one of the staff at RDT who told me about the Professional School. That was my turning point.

I studied Spanish for a year and got a job as a Customer Service Translator for a multinational company in Pune, and then at Genpact Company in Hyderabad. My parents are immensely proud of me and I have the confidence to take on any challenge and rise to any level through my own hard work and competence.” D. Jubeda Begum, Raketla village, Uravakonda Mandal