Itaunja: “Next step after skill development, connecting beneficiaries to employment opportunities. This joint collaboration is a noble initiative and enables high quality skill development opportunities to the rural areas,” says Ram Asrey Singh, the Deputy Director, Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission who was the  Chief guest for the Convocation ceremony of Skill Development Program was held at Laxmi Smriti Vidyadaan Sansthan (LSVS) at Itaunja on Saturday.

120 students were felicitated for completion of three courses – Beautician, Tailoring and Computer Operator. Majority of the students enrolled in the course were young women and girls from 10 villages near Itaunja.

The program is being jointly conducted by Laxmi,Smriti Vidyadaan Sansthan, Study Hall Educational Foundation (SHEF) and Jan Shikshan Sansthan (under the ministry of skill development & entrepreneurship), Lucknow. Dr Urvashi Sahni, Founder and CEO of SHEF, Mr IB Singh, Senior Advocate at Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow Bench and Mr Anil Kumar Srivastava, Director of Jan Shikshan Sansthan were among the dignitaries present at the ceremony.

“We now need to focus on finding good employment opportunities for the girls and women who have completed the course. It is also the responsibility of men and boys present here to support and encourage their sisters, daughters and mothers in order for them to excel and become independent,” said Dr Urvashi Sahni.

Mr I B Singh, also the patron of Laxmi Smriti Vidyadaan Sansthan said, “I am grateful to SHEF and Jan Shikshan Sansthan for collaborating with us. This program is a boon for my village, especially for the girls and women. I have seen young girls traveling from far and bringing their sisters and mothers along from nearby villages and I feel my dream of educating children, especially girls so that they can get employed is coming true.”

All three courses have been a huge success. The program was launched in November 2021 and will soon start the next batch.