“…in so far as you did this to the least of these of mine, you did it to me…” – (Mathew 25:31-46)
The Sisters liaise with various government agencies involved in training. Women from poor communities and villages, widows, and single mothers partake of this training that enables them to produce local handicrafts, and acquire other skills such as:
recognized as valid labour workforce. They have no benefits whatsoever. The quarry workers themselves are unaware of labour welfare.
- Producing ethnic sari embroidery designs like ‘Maggam’, which is a unique design from Andhra Pradesh’s lore.
- Screen painting
- Stitching model blouses (i.e., tailoring)
- Beautician courses
- Driving classes etc.
These government agencies provide many courses, but it is difficult and considered a bit taboo for these women to venture out to these agencies by themselves. SAL, acts as a liaison between these women and the agencies to provide training in establishments with women only attendance. that. 15,000 workers have been registered so far. SAL takes up their issues to the different departments all the way to the collector to ensure that benefits will be availed by them.
The aim for the Skills for Life initiative is to empower these women with skills that will not only help them achieve financial independence but contribute back financially to their society and economy. In these classes, they meet other women who are facing the same hardships, be it financial, emotional or social. This allows them to share their experiences and confide in each other, maintain relationships, and support each other. Learning these skills also helps them gain confidence in themselves, educates them about new upcoming techniques, introduces them to the marketing world and encourages them to dream of a better future.
