Vocational Training and Education

Vocational training and education are two of the most important routes out of poverty. In rural areas in developing countries, access to training and education is often limited. This restricts people’s opportunities to build stable and secure livelihoods. Vocational training improves job opportunities by enabling individuals to learn the skills they need to earn a living. Girls and women are particularly likely to be denied access to training and education yet an educated girl has fewer, and healthier, children and is less likely to be infected with HIV/AIDS.

Find Your Feet is committed to improving people’s opportunities to build a livelihood. By providing vocational training and improving access to education, our projects help individuals to build the skills that enable them to overcome their poverty.

Case Study: Improving access to vocational training in Uttar Pradesh, India

In the Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh, FYF’s partner, Pepus, is supporting communities to establish adolescent girls’ education centres that provide vocational training, basic literacy and health education.

Nisha’s story

Nisha Pandey, an 18 year old student, proudly holds up the pink fabric that is beginning to take the shape of a sleeve. Before the training centre was opened, Nisha had no access to education or training. Instead, she was at home carrying out domestic chores. Now, she is learning the skills that will enable her to earn an independent income.

"I want to learn how to sew so that I can work as a tailor and earn my own living."

In the Allahabad district, education levels for girls are very low and the literacy rate amongst women is just 17%. The nearest school is miles away and charges fees that are beyond the means of many families. Traditionally, parents have preferred daughters to engage in household chores and look after younger siblings than to go to school.

At a community meeting, the members decided they wanted to improve the situation of the young girls in the village who were largely illiterate and had no vocational skills. The group asked Pepus to provide a teacher and the community contributed funds to pay for three sewing machines.

Whilst some parents were initially reluctant to let their daughters attend, there are now 51 young women who attend the training, which takes place in the house of a community member. In addition to learning vocational textile skills, the girls are taught literacy and are educated in reproductive health issues.

"I enjoy coming here … we talk and learn all day. Before we started coming here, we didn’t know how to do anything and after just 10 days I had made a blouse."

Find Your Feet projects are enabling people like Nisha to build a future free from degradation and poverty.