The University has come up with an inter departmental program to train educated unemployed youth in the neighbourhood in just ten days to begin a livelihood program. The faculty, staff and students are training unemployed youths of the area in batches of ten in electrical house wiring, inverter making and installation.
Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE) trains on assembling simple inverters, their installation and maintenance. Electrical & Electronics Engineering (EEE) Train on electrical house wiring, and Social Work department helps in mobilising and disseminating information to the villages, selecting the trainees and following up on the post training activities.
“We had an overwhelming response from the youth,” says Swabalamban convener and HoD ECE Dr Sunandan Baruah.
The project Swabalamban (self reliant, independent) is answering to the urgent need of youths in the Azara Gaon Panchayat where they are facing crises in securing suitable livelihood options.
Traditionally the community is dependent on fishing in the neighbouring Deepor Beel (fresh water lake bird sanctuary) for subsistence, the communities’ youths today are unable to sustain on it due to lower returns and changing ecological conditions.
The free training program conducted in collaboration with Azara Gaon Panchayat in one of university’s 39 labs at Azara campus from 1st to 12th December is sponsored by Shailabala Biswas Education Foundation, Kolkata.
Speaking at the inaugural, Director, ADBU School of Technology Prof Manoranjan Kalita, highlighted the meaning of the word “SWABALAMBAN” and its relevance to the program.
While giving an overview of the training program Prof. Kalita mentioned the importance of self employment and briefed trainees on how ADBU family is eager to help youth in the neighboring villages of Azara for their overall development of the area.
The ADBU Vice Chancellor Dr. Stephen Mavely encouraged the participants with his motivational and encouraging words.
“I am immensely pleased to have such an event in the university,“ said Dr Mavely.
He further explained “the training is not actually free as the participants will have to pay by being present on time and attending all the sessions diligently.”
Dr Mavely assured the youth saying, “ADBU will be organizing many such training programs in the future.”
The Chief Guest at the function Dr. Balendra Kr. Das, Principal of Pachim Guwahati Mahavidyalaya inspired and enthralled the audience with his knowledge of the brief history of Deepor Beel and the Brahmos missile, the story behind its name which most of the audience are not aware of.
He instilled in everyone’s hearts the feeling of patriotism by saying “we should always think of our nation and should always try to contribute something towards it.”
President, Gaon Panchayat, Azara, Sri Prabin Medhi, thanked the university management for organizing such events.