The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Free IT school launched for deprived women

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Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Free IT school launched for deprived women

Aletta André

Computer course inaugurated, more to follow

— Photo: M.Vedhan

Initiation: TIIC Chairman Sheila Rani Chunkath guiding a student at the IT School set up under YWCA Madras Sahodari project, which she inaugurated in Chennai on Monday. Social Welfare Board Chairman Salma is also in the picture.

CHENNAI: A free IT school for deprived women was launched here on Monday by the YWCA Madras Sahodari project, in collaboration with the Tamil Nadu State Social Welfare Board and the Satyam Foundation.

With 10 computers, software and instructors provided by the Satyam Foundation, the first 20 women are ready to start a three-month computer course.

The Sahodari project is a family counselling centre, aided by the Social Welfare Board, offering short stay shelter residence and a legal clinic to women in distress.

“The IT course aims to empower women by enabling them to be self-sufficient,” Task Force Member of Sahodari project Audrey Dias said.

Task Force Member of YWCA Madras Sheila Jayaprakash, lawyer, said that the Sahodari project was looking at new avenues to support women.

“We used to arrange servant work for women, but while that was more like charity this IT course aims for social empowerment,” she explained.

“Maybe the next course is a driving course for women. We are looking for new projects and new partners to work with,” she added.

After finishing the course, women will be supported to take up a placement in the IT field, so that they can be self sufficient.

Besides, the chairman of Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC), Sheila Rani Chunkath, said that TIIC would provide loans to support business projects of the women who took the course, so that they are not dependent on employment.

The IT school is the first of various schemes for the development of women and children that the Social Welfare Board will introduce in the context of Durgabai Deshmukh Centenary Year.

Salma, Chairman of the Social Welfare Board, said that the Social Welfare Board is looking into expanding the scheme to other districts.

The Social Welfare Board supports 67 family counselling centres and 45 short stay shelter homes, with a capacity for 30 women each, all over Tamil Nadu. Executive General Secretary of YWCA of Madras Shirley Abraham participated .

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