Aalamba Women's Livelihood Initiative

In India widespread unemployment and underemployment are in large part due to constraints on skilling and access to livelihood opportunities.

• One in three youth between the ages of 15-29 are classified as ‘Not in Employment, Education or Training’ (NEET), of which most (88.55%) are young women.
• Many rural young women (in the age group of 18-35 years) out of work due to the economic impact of COVID-19.
• Rural Young Women from marginalized backgrounds are unable to escape poverty because of their inability to leave immediate home surroundings due to unpaid care work, mobility restrictions or poor infrastructure.

There is need to tackle the financial and time-related constraints against skilling as well as improve physical access to livelihood opportunities for youth, especially young women in India.

Headstreams will work with groups of rural women in the villages of Kolar District, Karnataka. Across our work areas, women have begun forming Aalamba self help groups. The objective of the internship program is to increase employment experience and connect young rural women from marginalised backgrounds with employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. 

Through the Aalamba Women's Livelihood Internship Program, the members of these groups will be able to access:

• Employment experience and stipend (short-term financial asset strengthening)
• Social support through the SHGs and subsequent increased status in community
• Safe working space of Skill Development Centre close to their homes
• New employable skills and other life skills
• Techniques of processing local natural resources into saleable eco-friendly products

The internship will offer training to the members to emerge as independent production units over a span of 3 years.