One of Asia’s largest slums has almost 1 million people living here. Mixed community of residents living here in congested and miserable conditions. Predominant inhabitants are from the Dravidian community of Tamil Nadu living here. Dharavi has severe problems with Public Health, due to the scarcity of Toilet facilities, due in turn to the fact that most housing and 90% of the commercial units in Dharavi are illegal. As of November 2006 there was only one toilet per 1,440 residents in Dharavi, this is a cause for spread of diseases in the area.
The women population comprise of Below poverty line population families, who don’t study and are being used as house maids to take care of the house hold. Very low levels of literacy are prevalent here and the average income per person is less than 5000 per month for family of 5. Most main earners of the family work in the nearby unsanitary in the shanty factories.
There is a need to ensure that additional income is generated by another member of the household, the woman and girl child as she has time in her hands. Having dropped out of studies, vocational skills enhancement is her principal motivator for learning as it may be a source for additional income. Rising prices compound the necessity for the woman and girl child‘s need to earn.
The girl child’s daily chore starts from cooking for the household, cleaning, tidying and washing clothes of the family. Her free time for herself commences from afternoon 1 pm to 4 pm, when she looks forward to learning something from Prodigee foundation.
Our foundation drives deeply into the slums and urges the women to step out of their homes and attend our classes to skill themselves adequately. Our flow process
Step 1: Community workers move into the homes of the dwellers and counsel them about earning and learning skills
Step 2: Interested students are called to see the learning centre and registered. Their back ground is captured and through a questionnaire
Step 3: Scheduling of classes depending upon their interest level and time tables are fixed
Step 4: Regular classes begin, attendance is compulsory
Step 5: Advice and referrals on securing clients and commence micro enterprises for the students.
Step 6: Income generated for her family
Our learning skills enhancement revolves around building their self confidence levels , increasing self esteem levels by providing cues to the women and girl child .
The dwellers in Dharavi attending the specialised training in vocational skills and behavioural skills enhancement are from different age groups and communities.
A cohesive training programme which would have universal appeal to all was customised.
The Issues that we tackled here and training imparted on
- Improvement of self confidence to be assertive and getting them ready to step out of the house for earning through becoming entrepreneurs.
- Practical issues at home which needs attention and managed while on the enterprise activity
- Home décor and managing with in slim budgets , flower arrangements, role of the woman and communication skills improvement
- English speaking, bank account opening, pan number, gas connection, Money order, reading and writing skills improvement
- Beauty treatment for women and referrals to service clients
- Cookery, to set up stalls and serve new dishes in existing ones.
A Tabular detail of number of Girl children and women trained In Dharavi centre
|
|
Total Beneficiaries who attended the Program |
Beneficiaries who were trained in English |
Beneficiaries trained in House hold activities |
Beneficiaries trained in Beauty treatment |
|
Batch 1 |
33 |
33 |
26 |
31 |
|
Batch 2 |
41 |
39 |
40 |
39 |
|
No of students who have been able to establish themselves financially after vocational skills training |
52 |
33 |
This is a domestic décor program so no scope of earning |
52 |