Lend a Hand Initiative attempts at teaching vocational training to youngsters across country.

Mumbai: Lend A Hand India, a Pune-based NGO recently undertook a Skill Yatra from Pune to Ladakh and attempted to bring attention to skill education in schools from Pune to Ladakh through “Skills on Wheels” – a customised bus retrofitted with all the necessary tools and equipment to deliver the Multi Skill vocational education in secondary schools.

Speaking about the initiative, Raj Gilda, Co-founder & Director, LAHI, said, “Owning a skill set is extremely important in a growing economy like ours. It is emerging as the new currency across businesses adding to personal, professional, and economy’s growth. India is caught between maintaining a fine balance between the skill gap and vocational education in far flung areas due to geographic issues.”

He further went on to add, “It is critical to take proactive measures such as Skill Yatra by Lend-A-Hand India to amalgamate vocational education with skill based learning to overcome the existing gap.”

Sunanda Mane, Co-founder & President, LAHI, stated, “India will need to generate at least 280 million jobs between now and 2050. There is 36 million unemployed youth in India. Of these 24 million live in villages and substantial number move to cities in search of employment. The initiative supported by Bajaj Auto is one of the solutions that can help the growth of skill education and we are very happy to be one of the partners in the growth and well- being of our country.”

The Skill Yatra begun from Pune and had the final stop at Leh, Ladakh, where it visited the famous “Druk Padma Karpo School”, also known as Rancho School – the location of movie 3 Idiots.

During the Yatra’s last leg, Vinod Tawde - Minister of Education – Maharashtra and Dr. Suvarna Kharat - Joint Secretary - Dept. of Education – Maharashtra received the Skill Yatra at Mantralya Mumbai.