Why Kriayt started a Skill Training Centre ….

The founder Annie volunteered in Women’s Skill training for three years full time in Nepal. During that time it was very evident that skill training classes were popular and many programs were being funded by tourists even though the outcomes were not very successful.

Foreigners and the NGO’s they supported believed that handing a woman a few months of training and a sewing machine would provide them an income and alleviate poverty. Program co-ordinators that had no experience in Handicraft or business skills were promoting such programs to foreign investors to raise capital. They promoted these handicraft type programs as the answer to unemployment among impoverished women who ALSO had no experience in earning income from handicraft skills..

When Kriayt was founded the original women had completed a 6 month training course with another Skills Training School, yet graduated with very little technical skills. The teachers had  failed to attend at least two days per week and up to three women were sharing a sewing machine in the daily 4hour class. It seemed to be more of a social event with students sitting outside in the sun chatting as no teacher was in attendance. The sewing machines were in poor condition and up to twenty students were sharing a blunt pair of scissors! If the student could not afford to bring their own cloth, they either did not come or they watched on as others sewed. There was no follow through with how the sewing skill training could benefit the women with income. They could go on to sew for other people, but they had not learnt enough skills to do so! In fact the end products the women made from that training centre were of very poor quality. When meeting up with all of the attendees less than 10% needed the skills for income the rest were found to be married higher caste and financially stable .

Kriayt Skills Training Centre went on to Identify the women that were seeking skills training for income purposes and women that needed a social outlet both groups were welcomed

Women seeking friendship, were usually married and their children had grown and attended full time school, the women had nothing to do during school hours. They were welcomed to attend handicraft classes for hobby purposes, they bring their own materials and pay a small weekly fee that is donated to Kriayt to support other women in need.

Women seeking skills for income attend handicraft Classes and successful graduates are given the opportunity to train in Job training Skills. This has led to women to earn income in areas such as

• Starting their own small shops offering mending and tailoring to other women.
• Women making items for sale such as hats, pillows and clothing
• Teaching women to teach! These women have gone on to start small groups in their community where they teach skills to other women that pay a small fee to attend.

Dedicated participants showing high skill are also invited to join Kriayt’s established Handicraft group that makes products sold in other countries. You can read more about that group by  CLICKING HERE