Together with Terre des Hommes, the GSRD Foundation will provide vocational training to disadvantaged girls in India, with the larger aim of reducing their social vulnerability. The project focuses on 30 villages around Bellary City in Karnataka India. In this area, girls are commonly initiated as Devadasi, a type of religious slavery, or drop out of school and end up in a spiral of low pay, dangerous work, crime and aggression.

Younger participants in the program will be given primary education, while older girls will be trained in garment making, office management or traditional handicrafts. All participants receive personality skills training, general computer training and career counselling. In addition, self-help groups will be formed amongst the girls for socio-economic improvement.

At the end of the education component, local cooperatives for young women will be set up to provide employment for the trainees. It is intended that the cooperatives will unite the young women with local businesses for the mutual benefit of both. Trainees will be assisted with working at home or offered the opportunity to work at a community centre, and they will be supported with loans to purchase required tools.

TERRE DES HOMMES
Terre des Hommes started as a relief organization for children. Later their focus shifted to combating child exploitation. Terre des Hommes supports projects worldwide in the fields of education, health care and independence. Read more about Terre des Hommes.