A NEW BEGINNING: Girls learning tailoring at the Jan Shikshan Sansthan in Mallepally. PHOTO: P.V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: Just in her teens, Deepika worked her fingers to the bone - slogging for long hours at a house in Filmnagar. All she got was Rs. 300 a month.

Sarita's condition was no better. She earned even less for the same amount of work.

Another teenager, Jabeen Fatima of Hasan Nagar, did `karchob' work for a petty sum.

School and education was farthest from their minds, their immediate concern being how to keep the wolf away. That was three months ago.

Today they are not only learning the three R's but also equipping themselves with vocational skills. And all this without spending a pie.

They are among a group of 60 child labourers, mostly dropouts, who are having a second chance at learning.

As part of the State-based project for elimination of child labour, the Hyderabad district authorities are imparting vocational training to the rescued children so as to make education not merely interesting but also relevant.

Three-year project

The three-year project is being implemented by the National Child Labour Project Society (NCLP), Hyderabad, in association with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Sixty children, including two boys, are undergoing vocational training at Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Mallepally ITI campus.

Most of them have been weaned away from work place and kept at the residential bridge camp in Bahadurpura.

The girls, particularly, have gone through a terrible phase. Some of them have been sexually abused and exploited.

Learning fast

"It was quite difficult to bring them out of their depression. Initially they had problem adjusting to the classroom atmosphere.

But now they are responding well and learning fast," said T. Rajani Kumari, director, Jan Shikshan Sansthan.

During the last two months, the girls have learnt a great deal about dress designing and embroidery. "I know how to make chain stitch, bell knot stitch and inverted cross," says an excited Nazia Sultanaand shows her workbook.

"Once they complete the course, they can open their own boutique and earn a lot," says Ms. Kumari. Besides vocational training the girls are also being taught spoken English and basic computer skills.

The girls give a brief self-introduction in English showing their newfound confidence.

In the coming days, it is planned to provide vocational skills to 200 rescued children, said Siraj-ur-Rahman, Project Director, NCLP.

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