Manthan conducts training for young girls and boys particularly girls who, for any reason are unable to continue education after Primary School level in order to impart them useful skills to support their means of livelihood. Manthan has conducted training for sewing, carpentry, making of cement jalis, electrician, solar engineering and water testing. In addition to training in these specific skills useful for earning livelihood, these young girls and boys attempts are also made to impart them certain general life skills. The identification of skills for training has been in two ways – children have themselves demanded to be trained in sewing and electrician. The other skills have been suggested by Manthan workers as new but potentially useful skills for them.

A group of girls learning sewing and stitching

Approximately 150 girls and boys have been trained by Manthan. The resource persons for these training are usually members of the same village or surrounding villages who are engaged in the respective professions. The training for those children who are not going to school anymore is conducted over the whole day whereas for those children who are attending night schools, the training is conducted for three hours in the evening before the time for the night school.

Manthan is attempting to link the sewing training with the local handicrafts activity in order to ensure a sustained economic activity. Similarly efforts are also being made to start solar workshops for those trained in engineering.

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