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Bengaluru is the IT hub of the country and is massive, wealthy and sophisticated in many ways, but studies reveal that about a quarter of its 8.4 million population live in slums. There are over 800 designated slums across the city; the industrial area of Yeswanthpur has six of them which is primarily inhabited by Dalit Muslims and migrants from various districts of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Due to the poor financial conditions of its residents, most of the children drop out of school especially after the age of 13 and get engaged in meagre work like laborers, drivers and coolies for survival. This project envisages skill building of these marginalized youth, so as to make them self-reliant and fit for jobs which can help them to lead a dignified life.
For the same, the targeted people are provided a six-month training during which they are trained in computer application, spoken English, personality development and soft skills. The training not only inculcates market required skills in them that can help them get decent jobs during placement, but also helps them shape their own career path through activities like employer engagement and exposure visits.
Smile Foundation has partnered with Paraspara Trust to implement STeP project.
