The traditional lifestyle of adivasis in Hunsur that hinges around farm-based occupation or working in plantations in Kodagu, is poised for a gentle shift.
For, about 40 adivasi youth have been trained under various skill development courses provided by Adivasi Human Resource and Technical Skill Development Training Centre in Hunsur.
Launched by Hunsur-based NGO Development through Education (DEED) in association with a Switzerland-based organisation, 30 girls have been trained in tailoring and 10 adivasi youth including 7 girls and 3 boys have been trained in operating computers. Though the institute has the capacity to train 100 youths, 40 youngsters have enrolled for various courses so far.
It is a practice among a majority of the tribal youth from around Nagarahole and those resettled in Hunsur taluk to seek employment mainly in the plantations of Kodagu while a few go to Kerala.
But jobs are increasingly difficult to come by for the tribals as migrant workers from Assam and other parts of North-East India tend to compete with them and are also preferred by plantation owners. Also, the recent floods and landslips reduced job opportunities in that district, Sreekanth, of DEED, said.
Not all youngsters preferred plantation works. Hence DEED though it fit to provide training for alternative jobs through skill development.
“The training institute was launched to shore up the technical skills of the tribals and make them job-ready. We are being supported by a Swiss-based group for the last three years,” Mr. Sreekanth said.
In addition to tailoring for girls and computer skills for both boys and girls, 40 boys have been trained in driving and some of them are shoring up their farm income by doubling up as tractor drivers.
Also, six tribal girls have been employed by a textile company which pays them around ₹8,000 per month. “We are also in talks with an automobile company which has agreed to visit our training institute and absorb the youth as drivers in their company,” said Mr. Sreekanth. “In case there are shortcomings, we expect them to lend a helping hand in raising the standards of the training and correct the shortcomings of the tribals trained by us,” he added.
This is reckoned to be one of the few such institutes meant exclusively for tribal training and plans are afoot to introduce electrician, plumbing and carpentry courses in time. DEED plans to rope in local electricians and contractors to absorb those completing the course as apprentices so as to give the tribal youth exposure and hands-on training.