SEESHA – DXC Technology - Skills Development
Women and girls from downtrodden sections of society face persistent challenges when it comes to their advancement due to their limited access to quality education,training opportunities, productive livelihoods and related resources. By building their capacities through the right employability skills, they can get better livelihoods and gain the confidence to contribute to their families & communities.
Empowering women is the key to attaining sustainable development in our country. In addition to training the target groups with in-demand vocational skills, an effective skill training program offers follow-up services like self-employment support/placement assistance, improved access to markets and credit sources, the formation of SHGs, and microfinancing their start-ups.
To empower women from downtrodden communities, support their income generation and fulfil the entrepreneurial aspirations of less privileged women, SEESHA, in association with its CSR funding partner - DXC Technology India, has been conducting training courses for selected in-demand trades in several project locations across India.
Phase-I: Vocational Skill Training for the underprivileged Women & Girls
Project Period: March 2022 – July 2022
934 women and girls from less privileged backgrounds were training in in-demand vocational skills such as Commercial Tailoring, Beautician services, Aari work, Embroidery, Artificial Jewellery & soft toy making, soft skills and Entrepreneurship Development training, etc. The training courses were offered at the following 9 project locations in the Phase-I Program:
- Arakkonam
- Bengaluru
- Chennai
- Coimbatore
- Cuddalore
- Hyderabad
- Mumbai
- Ranchi
- Vyara Gujarat
After the completion of the training, Self-Help Groups were formed and seed money was disbursed to aspiring women entrepreneurs in Cuddalore, Ranchi, Chennai, Mumbai and Coimbatore project locations.
Phase-II: Vocational Skill Training for the underprivileged Women & Girls
Project Period: July 2022 – March 2023
1282 women and girls from disadvantaged family backgrounds were provided in-demand vocational skills, soft skills and entrepreneurial skills across 12 project locations in India. Vocational skills were provided in the below trades:
- 1.Tailoring
- 2.Beautician services
- 3.Aari/Maggam work, embroidery
- 4.Mehandi
- 5.Artificial Jewellery & soft-toy making trades
Additionally, training in entrepreneurial skills & life skillswere imparted.
The project was implemented across 12 locations: Arakkonam, Bengaluru, Bhilai, Bhubaneshwar, Chennai, Cuddalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Patna, Ranchi and Vyara.
Uniqueness of the Vocational Skills Training Programs
- Many officials and mentors from Government sector such as MLAs, MPs, Corporators, Police Officials, BDOs and Police personnel participated in various events.
- DXC Employees across 7 SDP locations participated in special ‘Joy of Giving’ events organized by SEESHA, to encourage the trainees. During the events, course completion certificates, laptop bags to top 25 achievers from each batch, and SEESHA school kits to wards of training batch students were distributed.
- Self-Help Groups are formed in several field projects across India, with the aim of helping disadvantaged women and creating sustainable Community-Based Organizations.
- Each aspiring entrepreneur from the group is provided seed money to start micro-enterprises related to the training taken with the funding support of our corporate partner.
Impact of the trainings
The programs have greatly impacted the lives of the disadvantaged women and their families.The following are few of the impacts of the training:
- Women living in disadvantaged communities provided with resources & opportunities to acquire employability skills and economically succeed.
- Earning opportunities were created for 2216 women beneficiaries from less privileged backgrounds; Self-employment generated; livelihoods improved. Trained women supplement family income & lead a better quality of life. Economic empowerment witnessed. Their self-esteem has improved.
- The standard of living of the families of the participants improved. The quality of life for the families of participants and their general well-being were enhanced.
- Shy, less educated women are transformed into empowered individuals through skill trainings along with EDP & Soft Skills Programs.
