Located on the border of Noida and East Delhi, Gharoli village is surrounded by slums, big market places, metro station, schools and hospitals. According to 2001 census, the area has a population of 10,978, of which 56% constitutes the males while the remaining 44% are females. Due to limited skill set and lack of formal education, most of the youth residing in the area are involved in dairy business or unskilled labor, working as rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, hawkers and vendors.
This project is an initiative to empower the youth of Gharoli village through skill-based training, which can further lead to better employment opportunities. Under this livelihood project, the beneficiaries are provided formal education in requisite areas like English, Basic Computer, Soft Skills and Personality Development. They are also trained in Basic Management and Retail Sales for expertise in industry.
At an individual level, counseling sessions are conducted under this project for the restoration of self esteem, personal dignity and confidence in unemployed youth. The beneficiaries are also subjected to exposure visits and employer engagement programmes, along with mock interviews with experts. Such activities help them prepare for the final placement process that takes place at the end of training.
Smile Foundation is working in partnership with Akhil Bhartiya Antyoday Sansthan (ABAS) to implement the STeP Project.