I feel like I am in charge of my own life now because of my tailoring business. My family give me a lot of respect as I now contribute to our household expenses and can also set aside savings for myself." - Aliya, age 18.

Aliya dropped out of school several years ago after her grandfather decided it wasn’t appropriate for her to continue her education. She then enrolled in a tailoring course run by AKDN through Project Lehar - a programme that empowers 1,000s of girls in India to either rejoin formal schooling or develop new vocational skills, ultimately improving their quality of life.

NOTE

Project Lehar enables girls from marginalised communities living in the Phulwarisharief and Danapur areas of Patna to pursue either scholastic or vocational skills training. The scholastic support being provided in centres established by AKF aims to build the girls’ learning levels so that they can either re-join formal schooling or prepare for their Class 10 Board examinations. Vocational skills training is also provided at AKF’s centres where girls are trained in skills that are in high demand and will enable them to earn a better income and gain financial independence.

Cutting across both the scholastic and vocational skills courses is life skills training which helps the girls build their confidence and understanding of how to successfully overcome the challenges they face in their day-to-day lives.