IT Skills Training for Dalit Girls

Young people from Dalit backgrounds living in slums in the project areas around Nagpur, Raipur, and Janjgir are often required to start earning as young as 13. Conditions at home, when families are living in one or two poorly constructed rooms, are unsupportive of study. Consequently, many students drop out of school at a very young age and have low aspirations for themselves. Women and girls are disproportionately affected and are often married off young. These groups often lack the skills to approach employers or the confidence to believe that they can better themselves, and without additional support, are at risk of spending their lives in undignified daily wage labour. 

This project, called Aryaloka, offers accredited IT training for people both from higher and lower caste backgrounds.

Teachers (many of whom are ex-students) are trained to work with students who have negative experiences of formal education, and due to the online nature of courses students can work at their own pace and study while still continuing to work part-time. Students are also offered confidence-building workshops, and support with interviews and help to access higher education and apply for jobs.