News Desk, News Nation 360 : The opening of a Digital Skill Training Centre for youth living in the urban slum area of Dhapa has been announced by Merlin I Am Kolkata, the corporate social responsibility arm of Merlin Group, the top real estate conglomerate in India. The facility is being provided in collaboration with TDH Suisse, a Swiss child rights organisation, and DRCSC, a non-profit that operates in the Dhapa area and other parts of West Bengal. Sixty young people will receive computer and soft skill training from the digital skill training centre, which will help them advance their career prospects. This will assist the young person in finishing the course and gaining foundational knowledge about computer applications, resume writing, and interview preparation. This occasion marked the announcement by Saket Mohta, MD of the Merlin Group and creator of Merlin I am Kolkata, of the extension of educational support to an additional 70 students.
As a result, Merlin I Am Kolkata will now provide educational support to 490 children residing in five urban slum areas in Dhapa. Ten deserving students will also receive scholarships from Merlin Group as part of this support education initiative. The Digital Skill Training Centre at Dhapa Dipi was officially opened by Dr Andrew Fleming, the Honourable British Deputy High Commissioner; Soumitra Ray, the founder singer of the renowned Bangla band Bhoomi and a special consultant of the West Bengal State Commission for the protection of the rights of children (SCPCR); and Saket Mohta, Managing Director, Merlin Group. Ajitha Menon, Political Economy Advisor, British Deputy High Commission; Ashish Ghosh, Regional Coordinator-A. During his remarks, Saket Mohta mentioned that at Merlin I Am Kolkata, building an inclusively growing society is their motto. Merlin has committed to support TDH Suisse and DRCSC in their urban slum project in Kolkata, to empower marginalised children through quality education, education based on rights, environmental actions, and sustainable development. The kids must learn about computers and how to use them in this digital age.
With a little help from them, they hope to empower the underprivileged segments of society and teach children the fundamentals of a digital literacy programme. The primary purpose of the digital skill training centre is to educate and assist sixty local youth who reside in the area. In addition to supporting the trainer's compensation, Merlin Group has donated ten computers to TDH Suisse and DRCSC to operate this Digital Skill Training Centre. The project serves children from families earning between INR 2000 and INR 5000 per day who work in odd jobs, rag picking, collecting plastic and electronics waste, pulling rickshaws, and other wage-earning jobs. For the previous 15 years, 70% of families have resided here with restricted access to benefits and services. Because they are primarily first-generation learners and do not have adequate home support for their education, only 49.5% of children who have attended school find it difficult to continue their education. These children become more susceptible to other forms of exploitation, such as abuse, violence, trafficking, etc., when they drop out of school.
Pic - Courtesy
