NIRDPR trains women, Liberated from Manual Scavenging, in Livelihoods Diversification
At the end of the three-day residential training programme, participants learn at least one livelihoods skill and will have the exposure on other livelihood options available for them.
INN/Hyderabad, @infodeaofficial
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) organized an exposure-cum-training programme on rural livelihoods for women who have left manual scavenging with the help of Janjagriti Aawahan Bahuuddeshiya Samiti, Nagpur, Maharashtra. This initiative was one of the many ways in which NIRDPR is commemorating the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
The majority of the participants earned their livelihood either through contract job (cleaning) with the municipality or as daily wage labourers. A total of 17 women from Nagpur along with their two community leaders were trained during this workshop, held between 4th and 6th November 2019.
Due to limited skills they had been exposed them to, they look for opportunities where diversified livelihood options are available so that they can learn those required skills and can start up their own works.
Speaking about the importance of this training program and the outcomes, Dr. Lakhan Singh, Assistant Professor and Course Director, Centre for Human Resource Development (CHRD), School of Development Studies and Social Justice, NIRDPR, said,
“The participants need to be trained in different livelihood skills keeping in view the availability of the market demand for the same. In addition, awareness programme and capacity building on schemes and policies of the Government aimed to eliminate this inhuman practice from society at large scale is also required.”
The programme was inaugurated by Dr. W.R. Reddy IAS, Director General, NIRDPR. During his interaction with participants, he said that there are three major issues which required urgent focus if the country has to eliminate manual scavenging from the society. “First, we need to dignify the work of cleanliness/sanitation by bringing technologies and mechanization into it, second the salary/remuneration part should be decent one on par with other works and third the youth of this community should be linked with different skilling programme of the Government,” said Dr. Reddy.
The key objectives of this programme were:
- To expose the participants to a range of livelihood diversification opportunities available at Rural Technology park of NIRDPR that they can get trained in.
- To facilitate them to choose the entrepreneurship venture of their choice in order for the RTP to provide the training and the hands-on experience required.
Day One of this program witnessed a discussion on issues and problems faced by the participants after which they were given an exposure to the livelihood options available at Rural Technology Park in NIRDPR. The participants were encouraged to choose a livelihood of their interest. They were also taken around Hyderabad on a local visit.
On Second and Third days, the participants were provided hands-on training on the trade/type of training selected by participants at Rural Technology Park (RTP) under the supervision of Centre for Innovations and Appropriate technologies. The participants will also be exposed to the schemes that can support them financially/technically and how to develop market linkage.
Keeping in view the economic status of the participants, NIRDPR proposes to pay both Travel Allowance and Dearness Allowance (DA) to all the participants and resource persons. In addition, boarding and lodging facility was also arranged for the participants at NIRDPR guest house.
At the end of the programme participants had learnt at least one livelihoods skill and had exposure to other livelihood options available for them.
The participants were rejuvenated and motivated after attending this programme. All the participants have liked this programme and demanded many more programmes for themselves, other women, youths and adult male of this community.