Amma’s humanitarian reach has expanded yet again through the Govt of India’s Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)—Institute of People’s Education. The mission of JSS is to uplift the poorest sections of society by providing free vocational training to non-literates, neo-literates, and school drop-outs. It especially focuses on remote rural areas.
Our work began in 2003 and as of today, more than 84,000 people have been trained in vocations that are in demand in their communities. In this past year alone, that included 10,440 participants. The Government provides full funding to reach the people at their doorsteps, with a priority on women, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and minorities.
The objective is to empower them by identifying skills that have a relevant market in their regions. This creates a foundation to lead independent and dignified lives, alongside enabling local trades to grow.
In 2023, we opened centres in three more locations—Chennai, Tamil Nadu; Angul, Odisha; and Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Our other five centres are in Idukki, Kerala (2003); Virudhunagar, Tamil Nadu (2003); East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya (2021); Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh (2021); and Kalahandi, Odisha (2021).
We take the initiative to connect with the people, as they are communities with minimum infrastructure and resources. Often, they also lack the self-confidence to access the assistance that is their birthright as citizens. This means from each main location’s centre, we operate another 50 or so sub-centres to reach the trainees.
The training changed me from a hesitant housewife into a confident entrepreneur.
Geetanjali Rout – Jayapatna, Odisha
Geetanjali Rout’s story is a testament to the life-changing power of Amrita-JSS. Her family is from the remote area of Jayapatna block in Odisha. With two children, her husband earned as an agricultural day labourer. However, as is often the case, the income was unstable.
Geetanjali enrolled in the training for Beauty Care Assistant at our centre in Kalahandi. As it turned out, she had a hidden talent as a beautician. The course honed her skills and, more importantly, instilled her with self-esteem.
In fact, she ended up beyond the role of Beauty Care Assistant. In a town also named Jayapatna, Geetanjali was able to open her own parlour. Today, she is self-employed and earns a monthly income of approximately ₹15,000, a decent amount for that region.
“The training changed me from a hesitant housewife into a confident entrepreneur. I am proud to say that I am now the owner of Princess Beauty Parlour, and my life has taken a beautiful turn for the better,” says Geetanjali.
There are so many more stories like Geetanjali’s. Mohammad Saidul Islam was only educated up to 5th standard and worked as a daily wage labourer. With a wife and two children, his average income of ₹5,000 per month was not enough.
This last year, he took our training in Meghalaya to become a helper in repairing motorbikes. He was able to get a job at a garage in his hometown of Shillong, and then very quickly advanced to the role of mechanic. Now he earns ₹18,000 per month.
In Butu Padma’s case, she studied until 12th standard. She was then married and became mother of two children. However, life dealt her a cruel blow. Her husband was mentally challenged and abandoned them.
Despite her circumstances, she was able to join the Beauty Care Assistant course that JSS Vizianagaram brought to her village of Cheepurupalli in Andhra Pradesh. Today, she offers facials, hairdressing, and threading. With clients that include wedding parties and college students, she earns a stable income of about ₹10,000 per month. She has also become a pillar of strength for her family.
In this way, our Amrita-JSS training offers a broad spectrum of vocations so people can feel grounded in earning a living. Here is a list of just the most popular courses: self-employed tailor, beauty care assistant, jute product maker, bamboo crafts, hand embroidery, computer operator, two-wheeler mechanic, food processing, domestic care assistant, electrical technician, plumbing & sanitary work, welder & fabricator, textile printer, and fruits & vegetable preservation.
But the names of the professions cannot capture the essence of what Amrita-JSS really is. These people, once down-trodden by society, become upstanding members of the community who can independently support their families. They also become an inspiration by reaching out to others facing the same challenges. Most importantly, as human beings, they are able to live.
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