Dilip is one among more than 1800 youth that have been provided technical and vocational training by Aide et Action international Nepal (now Action Education). In year 2010, Aide et Action commenced intervention in Nepal which successfully completed two phases at Baglung, Parbat, Saptari, Siraha and Kathmandu valley, finally concluding in the year 2018 and is currently implementing third phase at Sarlahi, Rautahat and Kathmandu Valley. With a tagline “Changing the World Through Education”, Aide et Action is primarily focused on two key themes in Nepal; Access & Quality Education (AQE) and Livelihood Education (LE), both that were crucial in the process of empowering the underprivileged and in nation building. Within livelihood education, the project has established iLEAD centers where the youth from underprivileged sections of the communities are provided training on various trades so as to develop their skills that supports them in income generation either through employment or entrepreneurship. The project is currently conducting training on tailoring, computer and hardware networking, motorcycle repair, Dhaka weaving, off-season vegetable farming in the implementation areas.
The project not only provides them technical skills but develops their personalities through soft skill training. The trainers and the project staff provide full guidance and support to the trainees during and after the training period. The project supports them gaining practical experience through on-job-trainings, support in finding employers, job placement, getting decent wages, and hand holding support on the practical technical issues even after they are placed in employment or after starting their business. The alumni of these trained youth are formed so that they can support each other with any profession issues, share their learning and experience, support each other in finding jobs or starting business, and they even discuss various social issues that are helping in bringing positive social changes.
The project also coordinates and collaborates with the local government to support these youth in income generation after the training. The local governments of the project areas are also very supportive and provide their assistance in various ways. The local government of Godavari Municipality has provided the weaving machines to the Dhaka weaving trainees so that they can start their own industry. The municipality had also provided advanced weaving training to some of these women. With the weaving machines of the project and the additional weaving machines from the local government, which are kept in the communal house for common use, the women of the Godavari municipality are now able to generate some income, along with their household chores. These women are happy that they need not depend upon their husbands or family members to fulfill their small needs and they could even contribute to household expenses. The training not only made these women economically independent and financially stable, but also they have gained confidence in dealing with the public, and participate in decision making at household and community level. The project also changed the lives of the girls and women in Sarlahi and Rautahat districts after they were enrolled in tailoring training. The girls and women were primarily expected to do the household chores in the Madhesh communities. Especially girls are considered liabilities and parents hurry to marry their daughters even before the age of 20. In a significant number of families the vital documents such as citizenship and marriage registration certificate are of no priority for the girls and women. But the project has changed the whole dimension of the mindset when it conducted tailoring training to the girls and women. The training made the women economically active and when they started earning, families started treating them as assets and not liabilities. The project mandated the girls to have citizenship certificates for enrollment in the training, due to which more than 14 girls got their citizenship. The entitlement to citizenship not only helps them get the training but get the various benefits from the state, as well as they get their confidence, dignity and identity through the citizenship. Today, almost every girl and woman who has received the tailoring training has set a sewing machine at their home and sewing clothes of their families and neighbors. In this way, they are saving money by saving the cost of sewing clothes of their own and are earning extra income by sewing clothes of other people as well. Besides, the project is working in 30 schools with around 5000 children of Sarlahi and Rautahat to improve the quality of education and to ensure that no child is left behind to exercise their right to quality education.
