Focused Group Discussion on Skill Development

Beauty & Wellness Course

ocated at E 86, Shaheen Bagh, Okhla, south east of Delhi,  are 30 enthusiastic women undergoing the Beauty and Wellness program conducted by EFRAH and ActionAid India,  under the European Commission supported Project of ActionAid, People dependent on Informal Economy (PIE).

Confident and strong, one can see these middle aged women brimming with joy after completing a major portion of their course. When asked about the training program, unanimous cheer and laughter was the response. Coming mostly from poor backgrounds, the training program has instilled in them a sense of freedom and empowerment.

Each one had a story to share. Some who had never visited a beauty parlor before now boast of knowing the benefits of undergoing a beauty treatment. Not letting family responsibilities come in their way, these women do all the household chores before coming for the training. Two women bring their little ones with them to the training program so that they too don’t go unattended. For them, they want to bloom as a woman without compromising their role as a mother. Some claim to learn more from the month long training than from the beauty parlors they’ve been working for before. When asked about the timings of the training, they argue that 2 to 4 slot usually went unproductive which is now being successfully utilized in imparting training to them that will enhance their livelihood opportunities. In the absence of any skill, these women were unable to financially support their family. Household chores occupied a major portion of their day and gossip with neighbors the rest.

They are now happy as after undergoing the training they can not only support the family, but also be financially independent. This is a step towards demolishing the patriarchal equation of the communities these women come from. However, at this point, one should also not forget the families back home who have been very supportive and have been encouraging these women to complete the training program. When asked about the content of the training and mode of instruction, praises for the trainer flowed. The trainer not only provided them individual attention, but also let her students practice on her own body! So much confidence she had on her disciples. Also, she encouraged them to ask questions so that their theoretical concepts were clear. The students made notes and also helped the fellow women who could not write. Talking about the practical class, the women were happy that sufficient material was provided for them for practice, which helped them learn better.

When at home, these women are with their ‘thread’, practicing the techniques taught. When asked about the changes they want in the course, these women doing a basic beautician course requested for the course to be upgraded to an advanced level where they learn hairdressing and make-up. This will make them an ‘all-rounder’ and enable them to be independent entrepreneur in the future and not limit their livelihood opportunities to being mere employees at others’ business. This will also open up the possibility of these women jointly starting their business with maximized profits. Asked about other alternative livelihood training programs, English speaking classes and Computer training were the popular responses. From the focused group discussion, one can conclude that the training successfully instilled in these women a great deal of confidence which will not only help them with livelihood opportunities but also empower them to deal with every day challenges. The women are full of energy and the training provided them a platform to successfully channel that in productive manner.

Date of discussion: April 5, 2016
Date of documentation: April 7, 2016