Rotary greeting to all my fellow Rotarians, R/Anns and Rotary Lets. Since last two decades the Government of India has implement many schemes to empower the below poverty line women in India.
Rotary International was also convinced by the Rotarians of India to start women empowerment program. The matching grant were started for the vocational Training Program named "SAHELI" in the year 2000.
Rotary Patna also worked on this and initiative taken to start a Saheli Center in the year 2005-06 under the President ship of PP Rtn. Dr. Arvind Kumar. Many thanks to Dr. Arvind Kumar for his effort and vision Prior to this year, in the rotary year 2004-05, President Dr. Sharda Sahay and the secretary Rtn. B.C. Srivastava also explored the idea in their tenure.
In the year 2006-07, Rotary Patna was awarded the matching grant Number 60288, the international Partner was Rotary Club of "MUNICIE SUNRISE" (RID-6560) under the president ship of Rtn Tune Yasemin. Rotary Patna Saheli Center took its place under my Presidentship. In the same year we inaugurated our two vocational Training Center one for stitching & sewing and another for computer learning. The project was a big hit since its inception. Rtn. Manage Roy played a pivotal role for running the center smoothly. We placed our center as on of the most successful unit for empowering the under privileged women of below poverty line. Although it was very challenging to teach the girl student with all safely measures.
In the year 2008-09, an additional course was added (Beautician) which was initiated by PP Rtn. D.K. Jha. In this year only center was commenced for training like adult education & leadership skill development. These addition would not have been possible without help of Late Rotarian Sanat Prasad who gave his valuable time everyday for about three years.
We are having a separate Rotary Patna Saheli center committee every year which is performing its duty and always managed to run the center in a better way. I am also privileged being actively associated with this committee every year.
Till now 1455 students have benefited from our center and most of them are self reliant and helping their family with respected jobs. Rotary Patna is also distributing free sewing machines every year to needy students.
We can not ignore the help co- operation extended by all the four instructors Mr. Mitilesh Kumar, Mr. Shashi Kumar , Ms. Geeta Dey and Ms. Ranjana for managing their center extremely well.
I am Personally thankful to the president Rtn. Priyaka Kumar and his Board of Directors for the co-operation extended by then. We did a remarkable job this year again.
This project has enhanced the Rotary image in neighboring areas. Every student knows about Rotary and wish to be associated with Rotary even after passing out. They are always ready to participate in Rotary project specially in club & health services. So, this is a landmark project of Rotary Patna and I salute to all the members of our club for supporting and co-operating who made this project a big success.