Yog Manav Vikas Trust empowers over 3,000 rural women

In the remote villages of Chamba district, women are emerging as pillars of their communities through skills and self-employment.

These women, trained in beauty culture by the Yog Manav Vikas Trust (YMVT), based at Banikhet near Dalhousie, in collaboration with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), are not only running their own beauty parlours but also providing services at clients’ homes.

Reeta Devi from Talgut village now earns between ~20,000 and ~25,000 monthly, Reena Bloria from Khairi brings home nearly ~15,000 and Vrinda from Dalhousie Cantt makes ~10,000 to ~12,000.

The success stories extend beyond beauty culture. Many women are now running boutiques after completing a one-year course in cutting, tailoring, and dressmaking. Anjana Devi of Sukdai Bai earns ~8,000 to ~10,000 monthly, Anita Kumari (Manjeer) and Riya (Jaddu) make ~7,000 to ~8,000, while Kajal (Badoh village) earns ~6,000. These women have turned their skills into sustainable livelihoods, supporting their families and achieving financial independence.

Menika from Chambi village, after completing a course in Computer Applications from the Trust, now earns ~10,000 per month in Chandigarh. Others, like Manisha from Sukdai Bai and Kajal Devi from Karda, earn between ~8,000 and ~10,000 monthly.

Kiran Dodeja, the Chairperson of the Trust, said that these training programmes have had an impact on the community. “The limited impact assessment conducted by the trust revealed that hundreds of girls are earning a good income, becoming self-reliant, and supporting their families,” she said. For an aspirational district like Chamba, such training is crucial in providing women with the skills they need to sustain themselves independently, even after marriage.

The Yog Manav Vikas Trust has been playing a pivotal role in this transformation for the past 22 years. Since 2002, the Trust has trained nearly 3,000 women, enhancing their livelihoods and empowering them to be self-sufficient. With centres in Banikhet, Khairi, and Surangani, the Trust provides free training in beauty culture, cutting and tailoring, dressmaking, and computer applications. Currently, 102 girls are enrolled in these courses, receiving not only training but also study materials at no cost.

Recognising the challenges many women face, including the lack of capital to start their own businesses, the Trust has initiated a programme to provide free self-employability kits. These kits include essential beauty therapy supplies and sewing machines, further enabling women to embark on their entrepreneurial journeys.

The success of the Trust’s initiatives has attracted attention beyond the local community. The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has signed an MOU with the Trust to train 120 girls annually for the next three years under its CSR policy, said Dodeja.

The Trust’s institute in Chamba, recognised by NIOS and qualified under the National Skill Development Quality criteria, has also conducted courses under the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), she added.

Earning good income

The limited impact assessment conducted by the Trust revealed that hundreds of girls are earning a good income, becoming self-reliant, and supporting their families. — Kiran Dodeja, the Chairperson of the Trust.