CHENNAI: In an effort to break the social stigma around juveniles in conflict with law and enable them to stand on their own after serving time, the social welfare department will open a bakery to give soft skill training to children lodged at the government special home for boys in Chengalpattu.
The initiative is aimed at transforming the children from trainee to employer to entrepreneur. The bakery will be inaugurated in a building located inside the home by P Geetha Jeevan, minister of social welfare and women empowerment. The children will learn baking skills from a professional chef.
The initiative was launched by Manickabharathi, a social activist who supports children in conflict with law through his NGO ‘Our shoulders foundation’. The funding for the project is provided by Dover India private limited as a part of their CSR activity. Manickabharathi started a bakery in 2017 at Kelly’s Observation Home where several boys were trained and provided employment at the bakery.
“In Chengalpattu, we are planning a self-sustainable model where the bakery will produce and sell food items. The focus is to train them in baking and provide employment in bakeries outside once they are released and later to help them set up their own shops. It is a long term plan which will help the children support themselves,” said a senior official.
The official added that initially, interested members will be provided with baking lessons for 45 days. For the next few months, the boys will undergo training where their products will be sold to customers. The boys will get training incentive and by the time they leave on bail, they will have an amount to start anew.
“The boys will be given assistance to work in different bakeries. Transforming them cannot happen in a day. Depending on the person, it could take months or years until a person is changed. We have to make sure the children now realise they have skills to survive,” said the official.