Skills training for self-employment STEC

There are two established training centres in Chittagong Hill Tracts, focusing on skills development of young people in order to create self-employment opportunities. The local partner NGO TOYMU is running these training centres with financial and technical support from HOPE’87. Previously, no such residential and non-residential skills training centres existed in the very remote areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts. Therefore, many young people, particularly girls and adolescents, remained unskilled, neglected, deprived and thus marginalised. Observing the worsening situation for the youth in the communities, TOYMU and HOPE’87 both felt the necessity to ensure sustainable development activities by offering training opportunities for the local youth. HOPE’87 continues to assist two training centres in Ruma and Thanchi. During the reporting period, 291 young people received skills training in computer literacy, tailoring, weaving, handicraft and carpentry in these training centres. After completion of the training, several sewing machines were distributed to the trained women. Most of the trainees of the computer classes got employed in district level offices and some of them even started a small business in order to be self-employed. This project provided the trainees with vital opportunities to earn income and gain self-confidence.