Eight-month tailoring programme to equip transgender women with vocational skills and support for self-employment.
Coromandel International Limited, one of India’s leading agri-solutions providers, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives under its CoroVikas programme, has launched the Skilling Transgender People for Employability Programme (STEP) in partnership with Born2Win Social Welfare Trust. The livelihood development initiative aims to equip transgender individuals with vocational skills and create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and financial independence. Under the initiative, transgender women from North Chennai will undergo an intensive eight-month tailoring training programme. The structured training will focus on developing professional tailoring skills equipping participants with practical knowledge to pursue self-employment and sustainable livelihood opportunities in the garment and apparel sector. To support participants in translating their training into income-generating opportunities, beneficiaries who maintain a minimum of 80% attendance and successfully clear the final assessment will be provided with powered tailoring machines.
The support will enable them to commence tailoring ventures and work towards building sustainable livelihoods. The programme was inaugurated in the presence of Mr Jayagopal Chathur, Head – CSR; Mr M Vetrivel, Unit Head – Ennore Plant. The occasion was also attended by Ms Shwetha Sudhakar, Founder and Trustee, Born2Win Social Welfare Trust, and Ms Grace Banu, activist for trans rights, along with members of the transgender community, community representatives and other guests. Speaking on the initiative, Mr. Jayagopal Chathur, Head CSR, Coromandel International, said “Through the STEP programme, Coromandel is empowering members of the transgender community with market-relevant skills and the tools required to translate those skills into sustainable livelihoods. By combining vocational training with support for self-employment, we aim to foster greater economic independence, confidence and dignity, enabling participants to build a more secure and self-reliant future.” Born2Win Social Welfare Trust, a transgender-led organisation established in 2013, has been working towards the social, educational and economic empowerment of transgender individuals across Tamil Nadu.
The partnership with Coromandel combines vocational training with post-training support to help address barriers to employment and livelihood opportunities faced by members of the transgender community. The initiative is part of Coromandel International’s continued efforts to support communities around its operations through CoroVikas, with a focus on skill development, livelihood generation and inclusive community development. Through the STEP programme, Coromandel seeks to create a pathway from training to income generation, enabling participants to put their skills into practice and take forward their journey towards greater economic independence.
