GIFT THE GIFT OF EDUCATION TO AN UNDER-SERVED GIRL

Project Location: Bhati Mines,Delhi, India  

Bhati Mines have migratory population from Bihar, UP and Hindu refugees of Pakistan across the Thar desert now settled at Bhati mines area in Delhi. Most of them know traditional and ethnic craft work. Since this was a community uprooted long ago, it has resulted in the erosion of their skills and the techniques have a distinct gypsy flavor. Bhati - Mines village where Literacy India is operating faces with some major issues around Education, clean water, sanitation, health, livelihood and employment. When Hindu refugees migrated from Pakistan, looking at their condition, Government of India established refugee camp in Bhati mines area and many refugees were rehabilitated in the same. However, during the course of time, many other people occupied the land illegally and started living in the Sanjay Colony.Till today major source of livelihood for the locals is labor work, driving, white washing or the small shops that they have opened in the market. Women mostly are house wives as they do not possess any skill to work.

Literacy India aims at providing training and guidance to these women to enable them acquire skills and resources in order to become earning members of their families.

Activities undertaken during six months:   

• Survey and identification of beneficiaries
• Discussion with family members   
• Introduction session with volunteers on Training of Driving as livelihood option
• Showing of the documentary to motivate the group
• Exposure visit to Shakha training center to see peers women drivers
• Theory session on driving and its training process
• Training of simulator and application for the learner license
• On road Driving training with trainer and peers to motivate 
• Meeting with peer beneficiaries, who are working as chauffeurs
• On road Self driving

  Major achievements of the project: 

• Enrollment of beneficiaries and motivation towards skills for livelihood
• Successful engagement of 5 beneficiaries for the training
• Exposure visit and meeting with working women cab drivers
• Successful completion of training and now professional chauffeurs specially for Privileged families Wives & Children.

  Challenges:

• Literacy India mobilized 5 beneficiaries for training but one is continuing.
• Family members are not supporting towards driving as vocation.
• Community  traditional thinking about gender

      Way Forward:

• On road Self driving training
• Exposure visit with working women cab drivers
• Facilitating and motivating beneficiaries for placement
• Assisting beneficiaries in post vocation problems / issues

  Story of change & Potential beneficiaries

  Name:  Suman  Age: 38  Location:  Bhati Mines, Delhi

 Suman is a 38-year-old woman with a husband and two kids. She came to Delhi with her husband 10 years back in search of livelihood. Knowing driving, her husband started job of cab driving which gave Suman quite a happy and satisfactory life.  However, her husband developed drinking habit badly and started beating her when she asked for money. Due to bad financial condition, her kids had to drop studies with one in 9^th class and the other in 8^th. This was when Suman decided to do something on her own that someone suggested her to visit Literacy India Learning Centre in Bhati Mines. She visited and attended a workshop on women driving training. Her age was above the limit but looking at her dedication and enthusiasm, she was enrolled in the driving batch.

She has completed almost 6 months and her driving is good. Though she still has some hesitation on square road and in traffic jam but she is trying to overcome it. She is very hard working and dedicated towards her training. She does 50 km up and down for training in Greater Kailash from Bhati mines.

She is supposed to complete her training by July post which she will be placed as a women cab driver. Suman Says, “Learning the driving is not only a skill to earn my livelihood, but it has given me the right direction to give a good future to my children and myself. I never thought but the native chauffeur motivated me and now I am trained to drive on the road.”

Links:

• Literacy India Project Nandini