Chennai: World Social Work Day may be just an ordinary day in the calendar. But, it is a day of acknowledgment to many social workers and like-minded organisations rarely appreciated for their efforts in bringing about a change. On this World Social Work Day, Deccan Chronicle wishes to celebrate a chain of these angels of change.
Wearing an ironed shirt and neat pants, 18-year-old V. Kannan is elated. A tenth class dropout, he had never dreamt of working in an IT company and pursue higher studies. His life took a major positive shift, after social workers from an NGO Hand in Hand India enrolled him in a school and facilitated a dual chance under the Child Labour Elimination Programme.
Kannan, a Nanmangalam resident, now earns Rs 4,000, while he is also pursuing a three-year diploma in polytechnic. "My father has a hearing disability. My mother, who is a breadwinner, works as a maid to keep the family going. I am very happy to share my mother's burden," said Kannan.
The programme by the NGO focuses on students from rural and economically poor backgrounds, who lack proper guidance and are uncertain about their career move.
In the recent programme named as Maatram, 275 students who cleared their tenth class last year were guided. Majority of them worked as child labourers, after dropping from schools. Director of Institutional alliances, Uma Gopalakrishnan gave a detailed presentation on career guidance and job opportunities.
Around 71 students were placed in reputed organizations, where they would be provided education along with employment, said Prem Anand, assistant general manager of Child Labour Elimination Programme.
"In career guidance and motivational programme, we provide training. Vocational course organizations will talk on short time job oriented courses and those that are interested in such course are enrolled," he said.
