Commissioner/Secretary of Technical Education & Skill Development/Social & Tribal Welfare, Ladakh Padma Angmo inaugurates Usha Silai School Program

LEH, October 30: In a momentous event that underscores the commitment to women’s empowerment and skill development in the Union Territory of Ladakh, Commissioner/Secretary of Technical Education & Skill Development/Social & Tribal Welfare/Mission Director Ladakh Skill Development Mission, UT Ladakh, Padma Angmo, inaugurated the nine-day Capacity Building Program for Anganwadi workers/helpers of the Social Welfare Department of UT Ladakh in sewing, stitching and general life skill, under the pilot project Usha Silai School Program in Anganwadi centers. The training program started on October 28, 2023, and is scheduled to continue until November 5, 2023.

At the outset of the inaugural session, the Officer on Special Duty to the Commissioner Secretary of TE&SD, Ladakh Abied Hussain welcomed the Commissioner Secretary, Director of Social & Tribal Welfare UT Ladakh, Child Development Project Officer, Leh, Program Coordinator Usha International Limited (UIL), course instructor of UIL, and trainees to the capacity building program.

Commissioner/Secretary Padma Angmo in her inaugural address, emphasized the importance of augmentation of the skills of the Anganwadi workers/ helpers by training them in sewing, stitching, sewing machine maintenance and repair. The Anganwadi workers shall act as master trainers to further train and offer livelihood opportunities to women in rural villages, she added. Through the Usha Silai School program, the intention is to create sustainable livelihoods, enhance women’s economic independence, and drive socio-economic growth in the region, she stated.

The pilot program/project is being implemented across 13 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) projects in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh (7 of Kargil district & 6 of Leh district), based on the outcomes, further scaling up of the project will be considered, she stated.

The Director of the Social & Tribal Welfare Department, UT Ladakh Tashi Dolma, expressed that this training will equip Anganwadi staff with new skills, ultimately boosting their income. In turn, they can extend this training to rural women in their respective villages, empowering them and fostering micro-entrepreneurship. She urged participants to approach this opportunity with keen interest, emphasizing its golden potential for personal and community growth.

Child Development Project Officer, Leh Tsering Youtol, in her brief of the project, mentioned that the project is a significant step towards enhancing the skills of the Anganwadi staff.

The Program Coordinator of Usha International Limited Shayista Ayoub, provided a concise overview of the project. She highlighted that the project’s goal is to provide participants with training in sewing/stitching, machine repair, and life skills. She emphasized that the training is designed to foster financial independence among women, enabling them to take on decision-making roles in their lives and families.

The capacity-building program was jointly organized by the Ladakh Skill Development Mission, Directorate of Social & Tribal Welfare Ladakh, and Usha International Limited under the “Usha Silai School program” pilot Project in the Anganwadi Centres of UT Ladakh. 

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