Tsunami victimes are in the city to get a foothold in life
Sakaal Times: The 2004 tsunami left them devastated. They faced the tragedy of losing family members and were also left penniless. Now, 30 girls from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are here in the city to get a foothold in life with the help of two non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Their mission is to acquire professional and life skills, which will transform their lives back home.
Ylishaba Topno, one of the girls, said, “We are here to regain the confidence that we lost four years ago due to the tsunami. The natural disaster ruined our lives, but we will stand again with the help of the life skills that we acquire while doing the various courses in Pune.”
Holistic Child Development India (HCDI) chose these girls for a nine-month vocational training course specially designed for them by city-based Gandhi National Memorial Society (GNMS)’s Kasturba Khadi Gramodyog Kendra. Swedish social worker Prabha Brusner inaugurated the course at Aga Khan Palace on Monday on the occasion of death anniversary of Kasturba Gandhi.
GNMS assistant secretary Shobha Supekar said, “The nine-month employment training package has been designed in such a way that the girls can start their own business at their native place, which is a popular tourist centre.”
Supekar added, “Besides professional skills, the package aims at personality development and economic empowerment of these girls. After returning, the girls will transfer the knowledge to other women there.”
Sponsored by HCDI, the programme includes fashion designing, tailoring and ready-made garments, food processing, computer literacy, communication skills, spoken English and leadership qualities. There would be study tours to projects undertaken by women under adverse condition.
All the girls have studied up to Std X or XII. Some are pursuing graduation courses. Anandini Ekka, another participant from Andaman, said, “Even one year after the tsunami, life was disturbed, especially in Nicobar Islands . But with the help of GELC Church, various NGOs and HCDI, we were able to withstand the situation. It’s a free-of-cost programme.”
The girls are upbeat as GNMS is going to visit Andaman after the course is completed and with assistance of Khadi Gramodyog Commission, it will run various projects there.
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