Since the end of June 2018, young people and young adults in Hyderabad have also been able to attend vocational training courses for craftsmen. The programme has got off to a good start and already surprises with the first female participants.

The vocational training courses have proved very successful over the last few years and most graduates find a good job directly after completing the courses. In 2017 this was the case for 92% of graduates. Since the demand for the courses is constantly high, Usthi and its local partner have decided to include handicraft courses in the programme and thus offer more course places.

In the current operating year, the two locations have new capacity for at least 1036 participants. The courses are still very well attended and we expect to be able to release over 1000 more graduates into independence by spring 2019. A more efficient use of the premises is being sought. If this succeeds, there will even be well over 1000 graduates.

The expansion of the infrastructure for the new courses went well and the courses were able to start as planned on 25 June 2018. The new infrastructure offers space for at least 150 course participants per year. With full capacity, even 300 people could attend a course. This means that in future more young people will be able to benefit from a vocational training course. It is particularly pleasing that not only male youths attend the craft courses, but also individual young women have enrolled in them. This shows the courage of the participants and gives us hope that our courses can overcome not only poverty but also classic role models.

The new women’s shelter for girls and women who have become victims of temple slavery has already helped the first inhabitants to step into a new life.

For several years now, Usthi has been offering women who have had to flee abuse and violence a place to regain courage for a step into a new, independent life. Since last year, this offer has also been available to girls and young women who have been freed from temple slavery.

For almost a year they are cared for in a sheltered environment and are given the opportunity to complete vocational training in order to lead a self-determined life in the future. The first 10 women were able to complete their vocational training in 2017 and leave the women’s shelter. The training now enables them to live a financially independent life in freedom.

Unfortunately, Usthi is far from being able to meet the demand for places. However, in order to take account of the need and the very good first experiences, a further 10 places were created in April 2018 to give more women affected by this terrible fate a new perspective. It is impressive to see how the project gives these women back their courage to live in a relatively short time and enables them to lead a self-determined life.

When Olga Egli joined Usthi in April 2018, she was only supposed to temporarily support the management in fundraising and public relations. From August 2018, however, she will be a permanent member of the Usthi team and will be responsible for the foundation’s fundraising in the future.

Born in Zurich, she studied Islamic Studies, Sociology and Law in Zurich and Vienna. After a bachelor’s degree and various secondary occupations, she started working in youth work. Although she had a lot of fun working with young people, she soon realized that she most enjoyed the administrative and conceptual part of her job.

In order to further deepen her know-how in the analysis and documentation of social contexts, she took up a part-time Master’s degree in Social Work in 2017. During her work in youth work she also discovered her interest in fundraising and public relations and acquired knowledge independently. She can now use this knowledge for the Usthi Foundation, where she has been dedicated to fundraising since April and takes over part of the public relations work and thus relieves the management.

Olga is looking forward to her future with Usthi and hopes that her work will help many more children, teenagers and young adults on their way.