Young and enthusiastic: Young people gear up to launch model villages

The Commonwealth Youth Volunteers Forum (CYVF) of Tamil Nadu, India, recently organised a seven-day training programme for youth leaders on "Young People in Development" in Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu. Members of CYVF from the districts of Virudhanagar, Puducherry, Dindugal, Thiruvannamala, and Kanyakumari attended the training.

"The objective of the training is to train young people to develop a model village", said Mr. S. Harish, the Coordinator of the CYVF in Tamil Nadu. The proposed training programme envisages the setting up of nine model villages in Tamil Nadu before the year 2010 through the efforts of committed young people.

Youth leaders from each of the five districts who are also members of CYVF were selected for this training that concentrated on providing skills training. It also focused on various ways and means to enhance the economic opportunities of the selected communities, minimising school dropouts, enhancing literacy, ensuring eco-friendly activities, other skills such as disaster management, liaising for optimal use of government schemes, promoting health, conflict resolution and many others.

"I will try to use the skills I have gained to help uplift the status of the villagers," Mr. Arun Kumar, a lecturer at a polytechnic said.

"Economic enfranchisement needs to be improved," added Mr. Balamurugan, a businessman. "We need to see how we can bring all other members to the same level that we are at. I hope to gain more skills and techniques to promote the enhancement of the economic status of those at the very lowest levels in society," Mr. Sivakumar, a college student said.

The organisers believe that if all young people get together to develop their societies this will become a reality. However the concerted effort and sustained interest should be there.

"There are model villages set up by governments and NGOs but I believe this is the first time such a concept is being promoted and managed by young people," Harish said. "I believe that if we work together this will become a reality and what we start here in Tamil Nadu could be replicated to other states in India as well as other countries," Mr. Gauthaman, Ex-RYC India added.

By Shirani Rajapakse, Programme Manager