Practical Skills for Earning a Living
The Hope Project’s vocational program teaches market-oriented skills to women, girls and young people in the community. Courses are offered at the Nizamuddin centre and at three centres in the Trans-Yamuna area: Seelampur, Jafrabad and Welcome Colony.
Training covers cutting and tailoring, beauty culture, zardozi embroidery, computer skills, and baking, cooking and catering. Students still in school can use these skills to earn while they study, and some graduates go on to start their own businesses.
Tailoring and beauty culture, the two largest courses, are offered at every centre. Tailoring students learn the full process, from measuring and drafting to cutting and stitching, and advanced sessions cover current styles such as kurtas, co-ord sets and gowns. Beauty culture combines theory with hands-on practice in facials, waxing, makeup and haircuts, with advanced training in services like nail art and keratin treatments. Both courses are designed to prepare women for paid work or to run their own business.
Priyanka, 22, commuted more than 13 km each day to train in beauty culture and tailoring, with a loan from her sister to help cover costs. She now works as a freelance beautician earning ₹6,000 to ₹8,000 a month, has repaid the loan, and hopes to open her own parlour one day.
Sameer first came to The Hope Project through the Evening Education Programme, where support classes helped him complete Class 10 in 2020. He returned for computer training and went on to study for his degree through the University of Delhi’s School of Open Learning, while also working alongside his father in local eateries. In 2022 he joined Hope’s baking course and became part of Basti Bakers. When the German Ambassador visited The Hope Project, he offered Sameer weekly experience in the Embassy kitchen. In 2024, Sameer began a Diploma in Hotel Management at the YMCA, sponsored by the German Embassy, with The Hope Project helping to cover his university fees.
596 enrollments across all vocational courses in 2024–25
Beauty Culture Class
Cooking Class
Computer Skills Class