Respect, Educate, Nurture and Empower Women (RENEW) launched the Home Care and Hospitality Training to address the shortage of domestic helpers in the country. The programme designed by a woman for women is aimed at easing the lives of working parents in the country.
The training highlighted that with changing times, working parents, in particular, women are facing difficulty managing homes. And the COVID-19 pandemic impacted working mothers more. Juggling work-life pressure was real without a domestic helper.
The month-long training focused on developing relevant skills needed in the home care and hospitality sector. The training also aimed at addressing unemployment issues in the country.
“We started the training because most of our youth are facing unemployment problem even more so due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Moreover, our young girls and women who returned from Iraq were not able to get any jobs. They went there looking for better opportunities since it was financially beneficial working outside than in the country. But with the lack of experience in this field and some unforeseen difficulties they returned home,” said Tashi Wangmo, the programme coordinator of RENEW.
The first batch was trained in essential life skills training such as interpersonal and communication development, baking, care of children and the elderly and basic safety and injury prevention among many others.
“I am a class 12 pass out who went to the Middle East looking for job opportunities. The only job available there was in housekeeping, child care and cooking. And since I didn’t learn any of those in schools, it was challenging for me,” said Choni Wangmo, a participant in the training.
“Since I had no experience in this kind of works, I couldn’t cope up with the new environment there. So I decided to come back. And when I heard about the Home Care and Hospitality Training, I eagerly enrolled myself in this programme,” added Kinley Dema, another participant.
“I heard about this training while I was in the quarantine facility and so I decided to join. We have learnt so many things like the rights and responsibilities of an employee, first aid and basic health care, caring for adults and sick people and also financial management. I think these skills are necessary for anyone like me who wants to pursue their career in the hospitality sector,” added Kinzang Dema.
Such training will open doors for many young women to pursue a career in this sector as professionals.
Yeshi Dorji
