Youth Empowerment project India

Yesterday I visited the youth empowerment project of Reality Gives. The program, taught at the Ashayen Community Centre located in the heart of Dharavi (Asia's largest slum), consist of English courses and training in computer & softskills. Its main goal is to provide local youngsters (16-30) the tools to improve their quality of life by continuing their education or by getting better jobs. Together with the local community manager, I lead a discussion on the challenges faced by youths in Dharavi. During this interactive session the youngsters created a list that states the problems they face in their daily life: - Lack of access to education - Vulnerable environment for children & women - Absent of laws and corruption - Pollution in Dharavi At the end of the session I got the opportunity to interview some of the students and was impressed by their motivation, courage and dreams towards a better future. Nasrin Khan (20) ''Coming here and joining this program I want to improve my English, so that I can raise my two year old son in ‘English’. This will improve his opportunities on a better life”. Shenaz Shaikh (19) ‘’My dream is that all children in Mumbai get the opportunity to study. For my self, I hope to find a professional job so that I can support my mother’’. To end, I want to thank Reality Gives for showing me around and support their vision: “We dream of a world where people from underprivileged communities have equal access to opportunities and resources.”