My story

Young Indian Futures Update, May 2012

 

Many thanks to all of you, who have contributed so generously to make these projects possible, and to give a new future to talented young people from poor families in many different areas of India. Here is an update on the signs of success so far, and ongoing and new projects.

For more detail, and the students' stories in their own words, see our website www.youngindianfutures.org

 

Five flourishing training communities

 At Aryaloka Computer Education Institute, Nagpur, 19 young men and women are being trained in General Computing skills, plus Hardware and Networking repairs which will give them an edge in this burgeoning jobs market. Two more talented young people are training in Animation skills, practising at Aryaloka on Government projects.

 

These opportunities to lift themselves, their families and communities out of poverty, would be completely closed to them without your generosity.

 

8 more students from very underdeveloped states (Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh) are being supported in a Graduation Project, as potential leaders of their communities, presently marginalised by caste, poverty, and gender discrimination.

 

They are all delighting in the freedom-with-empowerment setting of cooperative communities; one of them purpose-built. All of their families are far too poor to afford them any opportunity like this.


Their courses will finish in July this year - they will then be supported for a little longer until they take their next step on their career ladder. Then we hope to fund more training communities based on the success of the present ones.....dependent on the generosity and efforts of donors and fundraisers.

 

 Previous Successes

 

Out of 10 young people trained in Animation and computer skills at Aryaloka Computer Education institute 2009-10, nine have now found jobs in those fields. Two have found jobs as Animators with high salaries; but perhaps the most satisfying result is that 4 from the 6 women who lived and studied together for a year in the Maitrikula women's community adjacent to Aryaloka, have found work in photo studios, enjoying self-reliance and growing career opportunities. One woman is now teaching Animation at Aryaloka itself. One woman is working in her father's internet cafe. One of our star Animators has found employment with a TV Company as an animator, in Nagpur, her home city;  two of our ex-trainees have embarked on rewarding careers in Bangalore; and one in Delhi.

 All these are now helping to support their families as well as themselves. Those who are breaking through to success are very active in supporting and encouraging the students still in training,or still trying hard to build a career.

 

Opportunities in Orissa

 

Business planning workshops, development programmes, and visits to remote villages and places of historical interest, were the objectives of the trip which Helen Sullivan, Priyadaka, and I took in January '11, to this beautiful state with its hidden strata of awful poverty. The young people who organised the trip, most efficiently, are seeking to improve the lives of marginalised people of their own background, mostly followers of the great leader of erstwhile 'Untouchables', Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. To give them a means of self-support for this work, we are currently looking at the development of tourism/pilgrimage in Orissa (Odisha), which will combine their knowledge of their own traditions with a flexible means of earning. 

 

New Developments in Chhattisgarh

 

The success of the Aryaloka computer centre as a thriving business training young people from poor backgrounds, has helped us to incubate a scheme to duplicate that model elsewhere, in parts of India where our ex-trainees can use such a centre as a base for their community development work. The most forceful participant behind  this initiative is Phoolmani, one of our young trainees now earning her living (and  learning the trade) in a photo studio. The intention is to set up a computer centre in Raipur, main city of the state of Chhattisgarh in central India, where village life is being rapidly replaced by heavy and brutal industrialisation. This Right Livelihood initiative should offer an alternative career to a large number of young people with whom we already have contact.

 

Further Plans and Projects

 

In Odisha, a tailoring training group for women in a remote village in a poor area, is all set to go ahead, with 30 young women eager to learn this useful and potentially liberating skill. So far, they have only one sewing machine, (they need 4 more) but a detailed business plan (thanks to Helen and Trinath) and a lot of enthusiasm.

The number of young people looking for us for training and living support this year (2012-13) could be as many as 30, including more young women from Bihar. Their families cannot help them, so we look to you.....

Again thank you, for making all this possible, and changing so many lives for the better.

Shakyajata

May 2012

 

 

My charity

FWBO (Dhammaloka)

FWBO (Dhammaloka)

Charity Registration No. 1040666

Dhammaloka means 'Realm of the Dhamma', or the 'Land of the Teaching of the Buddha'. Dhammaloka is dedicated to helping Indian people revive Buddhism and Buddhist values - compassion, wisdom, and equality of opportunity - all across India. Dhammaloka supports social and Dhamma projects across India and also in Nepal

Donations 140

windmill.png

Many thanks for all the great work Priyadaka, Arthacarya

Donation by Dean Wooding on 06/02/10

£25.00

+ £7.05 Gift Aid

Donation by Anonymous on 25/01/10

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

3.png

Thank you for all the news. What an epic journey! It's inspiring to hear about all that is being done and all the people who are working so hard.

Donation by Lis on 19/01/10

3.png

Great work Shakyata and friends. Thank you.

Donation by Karunavapi on 13/01/10

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

3.png

Thanks for all you news. You are missing the snow lucky you, no one is going anywhere here. Lots of Lovee

Donation by Ratnamayi on 11/01/10

£50.00

3.png

SADHU! Love Sue and Jenny x.

Donation by Sue Yeo on 01/01/10

£200.00

+ £56.41 Gift Aid

7.png

much metta xxx

Donation by alison on 12/12/09

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

3.png

Well done! Amazing work!

Donation by LISA WILDE on 06/12/09

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

3.png

Very good work. Thank you for all your dedicated work. metta, Viryabodhi

Donation by Viryabodhi on 01/12/09

£15.00

3.png

Thank you for all that you do. With metta, Wendy

Donation by Wendy Fleming on 30/11/09

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

3.png

Good luck Priyadaka and Shakyajata - lots of love

Donation by Jane and Simon on 22/11/09

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

3.png

Donation by Padmakumara on 14/11/09

£30.00

+ £8.46 Gift Aid

3.png

Thank you for all you are doing. Sending much love and metta to you Shakyajata and your Team.

Donation by Susan Taravandana Lupson on 09/11/09

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

3.png

You are all so inspiring

Donation by Hilary on 07/11/09

£30.00

+ £8.46 Gift Aid

3.png

Sadhu!

Donation by Vidyadaka on 28/10/09

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

3.png

Hope it goes really well. Good work!

Donation by Nishpara on 22/10/09

£30.00

+ £8.46 Gift Aid

3.png

Wishing you every success

Donation by Phil Daly on 20/10/09

£25.00

+ £7.05 Gift Aid

3.png

Good work. Sadhu!

Donation by Arthavadin on 10/10/09

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

3.png

Wonderful work, Sis - so much energy!!

Donation by susan clark on 28/09/09

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

3.png

Such an inspiring project, so keep up the good work and all the best for your target for donations

Donation by Rachel Green on 20/09/09

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

3.png

May you and these wonderful students be happy, be well and making progress. Sadhu!

Donation by Kenneth Pearson/Hridayamani on 04/09/09

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

3.png

For the happiness and the welfare of the many. Sadhu, Shakyajata

Donation by Akasasuri on 26/08/09

£10.00

3.png

Best wishes to everyone working for the Dhamma and a better life!

Donation by Amala on 25/08/09

£10.00

3.png

Sounds great! Keep up the good work.

Donation by Dh. Saramati on 24/08/09

£15.00

3.png

animated Dharma....what a great project

Donation by vidyalila on 23/08/09

Donation summary

  • * Online donations£10,567.90
  • Offline donations£0.00
  • Text donations£0.00
  • Total raised£10,567.90
  • Gift Aid£1,282.98

* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.