VILLUPURAM: In the 90s, when Madras was on its path to become Chennai, a boy used to traverse the lanes and alleys of the fishing villages there. Scenes of hardship, scarcity of labour during trawling ban and the struggle of fisherfolk to make ends meet with their meagre wages, stayed with that boy as he grew up. Today he is the assistant collector in Villupuram district and seems to have started unshackling the fishing community here from their age-old miseries.
It all started with an experimental project, Skill And Livelihood Training (SALT), initiated by the District Skill Training Office (DSTO) in collaboration with District Disaster Management Authority, to enhance job skills among the fisherfolk in coastal villages of Kottakuppam.
About 320 villagers from 19 coastal settlements at Vaanur taluk were trained on technical skills like driving, domestic appliances repairing, automobile repairing, basic cosmetology (beautician course) and stitching in 16 batches, each comprising 20 participants, from November 2019 onwards.
The brain behind SALT, assistant collector V Sivakrishnamurthy tells TNIE about the inception and success of the pilot project.
"My father worked at the Chennai port when I was a child and I am familiar with the community's woes. I was posted in Villupuram in August last year. I immediately proposed this plan and began field research. Along with a few others, I built rapport with the fishermen here. Initially, they did not believe our skill development prospects, but eventually everything fell in place. Now, it is overwhelming to see them begin to earn other than from fishing," he said.
The trainers were provided by DSTO and they imparted training on different skills for over 500 hours to the fisherfolk. The training is certified by the Directorate of Skill Training in Chennai. "It was a bottom up process as courses were suggested by the people themselves. We only facilitated training for whatever they wished to learn," Sivakrishnamurthy added.
Ideally, we wanted to help them land jobs during trawling ban and during periods of cyclone warning, he further said.
Three men from the automobile (boat engine) repairing batch have already landed jobs in Oman and would leave next month, said P Raja, an officer from the DSTO.
"Over 200 women from 19 coastal villages, including Kottakuppam, Kunimedukuppam, Mudhaliarkuppam, Anichamedukuppam, Perichavadi Mudhaliarkuppam, Anumanthaikuppam and Yeggiyarkuppam in Vaanur taluk are now skilled beauticians and tailors," Raja added.
M Kalpana (29), one of the tailoring students, said, "I can stitch clothes for myself and my family now, so we don't have to buy clothes and can save the money. Further, I can also stitch for my neighbours and earn some money to support my family. This is a massive turning point not just in my life but even for our community."
A 28-year-old woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Express, "Some time back, I was treated badly at a beauty salon in my native village because that space was apparently reserved for upper class people. But today I do eyebrow trimming, hair colouring, facial and other treatments at home for myself and other women in my family. I feel independent now."
"What was thought to be a pilot project, in the beginning, has turned to be very fruitful. Officials from other districts are also planning to adopt the model in coastal villages across the State," said K Vasu, District Project Officer (Disaster Management).