Selvaraj has three friends who have now joined the Smartpur Center and continue to follow in her footsteps. They are motivated to secure a job and sustain themselves independently. Smartpur Center continues to be a game changer for these young girls who want to secure a bright future for themselves.
According to experts, an estimated half a billion women still lack access to education and tens of millions of girls around the world are unable to access education and unlikely to enroll in school, thus hampering the overall growth and development of the girls. And yet, there is sufficient evidence to show that educated women create a ripple effect. We face huge inequalities in the education system of our country. Despite many policies and campaigns taken up by the government, young girls and women still lack access to basic education resulting in exclusion from employment opportunities.
Selvarak Rajyalaxmi, who is a resident of Paravada block, Andhra Pradesh, was facing the brunt of gender discrimination in the education system. She completed her education and attended various interviews but failed to secure a job. She wanted to improve her skills and hence visited the Smartpur Center. Over a period of four months, she was able to acquire knowledge regarding MS-Office, Coral Draw, various online application methods. With the center helping her with skill development, she was able to secure a job and become financially independent.
Selvaraj says: “It is very difficult for young girls to get easy access to education; stereotypes, distance and many other social factors act as a hindrance for our education. Smartpur center in our area has really helped me to gain computer knowledge, which has helped me in securing a job at a private firm and continues to help me in preparation of various government exams.”
