Straight Answers

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Ramesh Swamy, </span>Founder, Unnati Project on helping underprivileged students.<span style="" font-weight:="" bold=""> </span><br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">What is the Unnati project all about?</span><br /><br />The Unnati Project believes that underprivileged students will not be able to improve their standard of living with a high school education alone.They need vocational training to develop skill sets and find better and higher paying jobs. Unnati aims to provide vocational training to these underprivileged students for a better chance at life.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">What vocational training courses are currently being offered to such students?</span><br /><br />We have already begun courses for over 90 students in tailoring for the garment industry, retail and field sales. Soon, we are planning secretarial and domestic caretaking courses. With a boom expected in the serviced apartments industry, a lot of job opportunities will open up for our students.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Can these courses actually help these students make more money?</span><br /><br />The starting salary of students after these courses is over Rs 2,500 compared to the Rs 800 to Rs 1,200 per month that they would make as housemaids, office errand boys and car workshop workers. Students end up earning even up to Rs 5,000 in a short time, depending on their hard work on the job. Since the project began in October 2003, 55 students have begun working in supermarket chains and and the garment industry<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Where have you sourced teachers for these courses?</span><br /><br />Many of them have retired from prominent corporates, some are from consultancy firms.<br /><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">How do you ensure correct practices in enrolling an eligible student?</span><br /><br />There are five levels of interviews and students are between 18 to 21 years, very poor and school dropouts. We have an HR team made up of professionals from the corporate world. This team looks into the background of the children and conducts strict aptitude and attitude tests.</div> </div>