New Skill Development Center Opens in Katihar

Hemlata Foundation has inaugurated a state-of-the-art skill development centre in Katihar, Bihar — a district that has seen some of the highest rates of rural unemployment and distress migration in the region. The centre, spread across 8,000 sq ft, is equipped with modern workshops for tailoring, beautician training, computer operation, and food processing — four trades identified through extensive community consultation as having the highest local demand and best income potential.

Built with Community, for Community

Unlike many training centres that are built centrally and impose programmes on communities, the Katihar centre was designed through participatory planning. Foundation team members spent three months conducting household surveys, focus groups with women, and market assessments before finalising the curriculum and infrastructure. The result is a centre that the community feels genuine ownership of.

The land was provided by the local panchayat. Construction labour was sourced entirely from the local area, employing 45 workers for 8 months. The interior design was done by a women-led architecture collective from Patna.

Four Trade Programmes at Launch

The centre launches with four vocational programmes, each 3-months long, residential, and free of charge:

• Fashion & Tailoring: From basic stitching to pattern making, with machines donated by a Mumbai garment manufacturer. Graduating students receive a portable sewing machine.
• Beauty & Wellness: A government-approved curriculum covering skin care, hair care, mehendi, and salon management. Ties with local salons for job placement.
• Computer Fundamentals & Office Management: MS Office, accounting software, and basic web literacy. A course recognised by NIELIT.
• Food Processing & Packaging: Preservation, packaging, and labelling for pickles, papads, and baked goods. Linked with self-help groups for market access.

A skill is freedom. When a woman has a trade, she has income. When she has income, she has choices. That is what this centre is about.

First Batch of 120 Women

The inaugural batch of 120 trainees has already been enrolled from 67 villages across 5 blocks of Katihar district. The selection prioritised women from BPL households, single mothers, and school dropouts in the 18-35 age group. All trainees receive a daily stipend of ₹150, meals, and boarding — removing every barrier to participation.

The Foundation has committed to running the centre for a minimum of 5 years, with a target of training 2,400 women by 2031. Placement support, microfinance linkage, and alumni mentoring are integral parts of the programme design.