“I hope they (Cognizant Foundation) never stop supporting financially disadvantaged students.”
“Hi! My name is N. Sravani. I come from Thoodukurthy, a small village in rural Telangana and I am a trainee in the Vision Technician Course at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI).
After I completed my +2, I was confused about what to do. My father had passed away due to cancer when I was in Class 7, and my mom had to work extra hard to raise me and my brother. She used to do odd jobs to make ends meet, one of which was being a field worker at the Kuchakulla Rama Chandra Reddy Eye Centre in Thoodukurthy. It was one of LVPEI’s satellite centres, and it was here that she learned about the Vision Technician (VT) course and its excellent job prospects.
I had always wanted to do something which would reduce the pressure on my mom and the VT programme was just the sort of thing I was looking for. I have learned a lot during my classes and also managed to make many good friends here. My accommodation and food are taken care of and I also get a monthly stipend of ₹500 for my expenses. This has helped me focus more on learning and improving my skills, without worrying about whether I would be a financial burden for my family.
When the COVID-19 lockdown was announced, I was worried that the classes would be cancelled. But the faculty has stayed in constant touch with me and the rest of my batch, taking lessons and reminding us to stay safe from the virus.
I can’t thank Cognizant Foundation enough for supporting my studies at LVPEI. I hope they never stop supporting financially disadvantaged students like me. Courses like these really help us stand on our own two feet.”
Sravani is one of the many beneficiaries of the Cognizant Foundation's initiatives to promote vocational-technical education. The Foundation identifies and support institutions to improve access to vocational-technical education for youth, especially women and persons with disabilities. It supports various trade based technical skilling programmes benchmarked with industry standards and approved by skill sector councils.
Since 2018, the Foundation adopts and supports the entire batch of students pursuing NCVT trade diploma courses from institutions like Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF), Bengaluru and healthcare based diploma courses in institutions like PanIIT Alumni Reach for India Foundation, Mumbai, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad and Dr Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi to train young women in Vision Technician Courses. This initiativebenefits rural youth, young women from Naxal affected areas, and PWD students to hone their technical skills and get gainful employment.
