RC Kanpur empowers women & children

The Shri Govind Hari ­Singhania Skill ­Development Centre in Kanpur is proving to be a lifeline for 70 women hailing from less privileged families, helping them turn their dreams into reality. The centre was established in November 2024 by RC Kanpur, RID 3110, to give tailoring skills to women so that “they can enhance their livelihood, and build a better future for their families,” says club president Rajiv ­Agarwal. Training is conducted daily in three batches by experienced tutors, and the club supplies all necessary material, including fabric and thread. To ensure commitment, a nominal fee of ₹100 is charged for the course.

The women are also trained in art and craft, tie and dye, fabric painting and embroidery at the centre. The project is spearheaded by club member Ronal Kumar.

At the end of the course, participants will have mastered stitching dresses, blouses, pillow covers, tablecloths, bedsheets and salwar sets. The club plans to help them secure job work, and market their finished products. “Many of our members are trustees in temples and they are eager to engage the women in stitching dresses for temple idols. The fabric will be provided by the members,” says Agarwal.

The ₹9-lakh-centre is equipped with 15 sewing machines and has received significant support from club member Abhishek Singhania through the CSR arm of his company, J K Urbanscapes.

The 82-year-old club, chartered in 1943, also runs a Rotary School which was set up 58 years ago, offering affordable education to children from low-income families. The school charges a minimal tuition fee of ₹100, but as ­Agarwal emphasises, “if a parent cannot afford even that, we still enrol the child. Education should be accessible to every child, as it is the key to a bright future.” Currently, 10 students are studying free of cost.

The school has 70 students studying from kindergarten to Class 5. “Prior to the Covid pandemic, we had 200 students. However, economic challenges forced many families to migrate in search of work,” he says. Most parents in the locality are street vendors or domestic workers.

The school’s monthly operational expenses, including staff salary and electricity, total ₹25,000. The club’s 119 members ­contribute ₹1,000 each for the school’s upkeep. “This, along with the tuition fees, helps cover our basic costs. For major expenses like building maintenance and repairs, past president Rajiv Soni and other members step in with additional support. We are passionate about this school; it is like our own child. Over the years, we have seen it produce brilliant students,” smiles Agarwal.

The club provides the children with uniform, footwear, stationery items and lunch box. After Class 5, they are enrolled in high schools with recommendations from the members. Many of them are admitted to the school run by Singhania that charges a nominal fee.

Recently, the club completed two cervical cancer vaccine camps benefitting 700 girls aged 9–14. Each vaccine, originally costing ₹2,000, was procured at a subsidised rate of ₹1,250.