City NGO gives skills training to transform transgenders' lives

Transgenders are often prey to subjugation and denigration across the country. Although a few have made it to public spheres, even they are looked at with disdain.

“I wanted to work outside our community as our work involves begging and sex work most of the time,” said Supriya, a transgender from Bengaluru.

City-based NGO Solidarity Foundation has begun organised training for transgenders and LGBT community members, besides offering placement services.

Vayati, a pilot project initiated by the NGO, trains transgenders and the LGBT community members to earn a respectable living by imparting basic skills like computer training, data entry, mail room administration and security management.

The first batch took off in Don Bosco Skill Mission, involving 10 people from transgender community, out of which five are already placed. The training goes up to 12 days, after which they will be placed in various sectors with whom the organisers are tied up.

Supriya, a trainee, is now a receptionist in a reputed firm. She said, “if we could get jobs outside the community, we will have better lives.”

Amulya, who used to reside in Vijayanagar, said she gained self-confidence after attending the training programme. She said it is difficult to find stable jobs for transgenders.

The trainers associated with Vayati said three from the batch have already managed to find jobs. One of them works as an office assistant at Innove, an interior designing firm, and another is part of the hospitality team at IBM.

The project has been featured as a compilation of videos by egomonk, a broadcasting and media production company based in Bengaluru. It showcases the aspirations and dreams of people from the community.