"SVJCT’s Skill Development Training Center" offering "National Skill Development Corporation" certified courses, jointly launched by Shri Vithalrao Joshi Charities Trust and Vatsalya Trust Mumbai was inaugurated on April 1, 2023.
Courses in four fields, Tailoring and Fashion Designing (Basic and Advanced), Beauty Therapy (Basic and Advanced), Computer Trainings and General Duty Assistant were started at this center. This program is useful in training/skilling the local youth especially those who are unable to continue a formal higher education. Thus, it helps young girls and women of villages from Konkan become independent and self-sufficient and generate employment.
Many adolescent girls are well-connected to BKL Walawalkar Hospital because of ‘DERVAN Cohort' project and they visit the hospital frequently for their health check- ups. While monitoring their health and other problems, the organization also noticed the financial side of their problems. In order to make them financially self-sufficient and empower them in every way Shri Vithalrao Joshi Charities Trust along with Vatsalya Trust Mumbai started these short duration courses. Students are trained in well-equipped class rooms.
Thus far, more than 200 girls (and a few boys) have benefited from these courses. The response from young girls is very satisfactory. All these courses are taught at a highly subsidised rate i.e. Rs.2000/- only. In order to facilitate and further encourage them to join these courses, they are provided free-accommodation in the hostel campus and food (including tea, breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and dinner) is provided at a nominal charge of Rs.25 per day. However, the daily expense for accommodation, two meals a day, breakfast, refreshments, tea is ~Rs.300. The Trust has borne the charges of course subsidisation and Rs.275 per day for each girl so as to enable these girls to undergo the training and for their overall progress.
All these courses are designed to be short term courses and are completed within 2 to 4 months. After completing these courses, the Examination is jointly conducted by Vatsalya Trust and Shri Vithalrao Joshi Charities Trust and a 'NSDC' certificate is awarded to passed students. The certification is not only accepted across the country but also it is accepted globally.
Along with these courses, Shri Vithalrao Joshi Charities Trust and Vatsalya Trust provide guidance to the young students to start small scale businesses. It will not only improve their own financial health but also creates a source of income in the rural society.
In addition, to generate empowerment opportunities, SVJCT has included training workshops. Here girls are trained by experts, to create uniquely designed handcrafted items. These hand-made items (made by the girls) are sold in urban markets and the ensuing profit is distributed amongst the girls, thus creating a sequence of skill development and economic empowerment.
