©️ Chandra Kiran
From the Indian state of Bihar to Chhattisgarh and Telangana, read the poignant testimonies of five young people who tell their stories and the opportunities provided by Action Education's iLead training.
Their names are Ramu, Kanchan, Jayadev, Ashish and Devi. Originally from regions affected by poverty, internal conflict or the Naxalite rebellion (Maoist insurgency), they have completed the "Employability and entrepreneurship training for young people from conflict-affected areas" programme launched by Action Education and Microsoft in 2019.
The aim of the programme is to equip disadvantaged young people with skills that are in demand on the labour market, so that they can find decent jobs or set up their own businesses. A number of different areas are on offer, including mechanics, health, customer relations, electricity, etc. The free, three-month training courses are supplemented by life-skills development sessions and introductions to potential employers. 941 young people have been trained since the start of the project, with a placement percentage of 78%.
Kanchan Lingham, who has developed her business around bamboo crafts, says: "Thanks to the project, I have gained self-confidence and can now provide for my family.
Discover our episodes on our Youtube channel:
Episode 1 #urning dreams into reality: Ramu, a ray of hope thanks to iLEAD
Episode 2 #urning dreams into reality: Kanchan, overcoming difficulties
Episode 3 #urning dreams into reality: Jayadev, from adversity to success
Episode 4 #urning dreams into reality: Devi, courage to save lives
Episode 5 #urning dreams into reality: Ashish, momentum for the future
