UNICEF refers to Life Skills as “a large group of psycho-social and interpersonal skills which can help people make informed decisions, communicate effectively, and develop coping and self-management skills that help them lead a healthy and productive life”.
In simple words, life skills are what take you from education to the real world, that provide a bridge between the bookish knowledge school gives you and what you need to earn a salary at a workplace. Unfortunately for children who have struggled through school and college due to lack of funds and family support, life skills is another hurdle they are usually unable to cross. And this is exactly where Dream a Dream comes in…
INTRODUCTION
Dream a Dream (DaD) is a registered, charitable trust empowering children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds to overcome adversity and flourish using a creative life skills approach.
Currently, they work with 10,000 young people a year and have trained over 9,828 teachers/educators from six states, impacting over 2,45,700 children directly and over 1 million children indirectly through strategic partnerships with state governments in Delhi and Jharkhand.
It’s an incredible thing to be able to take a young person and mould them to be independent and capable of making their own way in life. And that is what they do, day in and day out, with a level of commitment that’s amazing to see.
An Inspiring Success Story
Vani, a 21-year-old, used her training to develop skills to become a tattoo artist and start her own small tattoo studio with the support received from Dream a Dream to buy the tattoo machine, ink and upskill herself.
A #whatif story, to leave you with hope for the next generation
#whatif every young dreamer tried to help other dreamers to succeed?
Imran Khan is 16 years old and studying in Solomon High School Padarayanapura. He says “when lockdown started, I have faced many problems because of COVID19. Initially, I thought it might end within 2 or 3 days, but it has been extended till 3 months. When my family faced financial problems, I started thinking about the roadside people who have no home, no food, and no basic needs to live their daily life but I was totally helpless to them considering my family situation.
…my father couldn’t afford to pay for me because of which I started working to pay my school fees, and my plans is not only to study 10th or 11th or 12th grade, I want to study well and settle in a good position, and my aim is to help the student with the single parent and students facing family problems they should get proper education they should not suffer to get good education.”
Imran’s story shows us so powerfully that you don’t have to be rich to aspire to help another person. You just have to want to do it.
Such is the power of helping, one student at a time. Their belief is that with slow and steady work they can create a generation of young people who are motivated to take on the future and put their hard pasts behind them.
Read about all their incredible work here at https://dreamadream.org and click on www.scift.com to donate to their cause!
