Bodhi Tree Skills

Empowering Rural graduates

annual report
2016-2017
 I

This has been a year of rebirth for Bodhi Tree Skills!

At Bodhi Tree Skills, we believe in bridging the rural-urban divide by empowering rural graduates. Our
aim is to make graduates aware of the opportunities, to give courage to pursue their passion, to guide
them to reach their potentials and to help them to live an empowered life.

This year, we have been tested on our intentions and passion andour ability to survive.Through the
process we have evolved to become stronger and more determined to do the work we intendto do.
We asked tough questions and took decisions.We seek the support of others to solve so many of our other
questions!

Intensivevsextensive approach
Are our youth really learning and showing progress?
Can we charge our students?
Where do we see ourselves five years from now?
Is it possible to have a country where there is no need for organisations like Bodhi Tree Skills?

As we enter into another year, we would like to share our journey with you so far!

 Contents
Divide
The Crisis
Why, What and How
Our Vision andMission
Our Youth
Our Approach
College Program
Village Programs
Training Program
Residential Programs
myopps.in
A book on opportunities
New Initiatives
Upcoming Programs
Acknowledgement
Join Us
With nearly 70% of students in higher education coming DIVIDE
from rural areas, India has gone through nothing short of
a revolution in education in the past decade.

These students are mostly first-generation college goers

who do not have the opportunity to cultivate skills that
make them employable. The difference between an urban
and rural graduate is not in the intelligence to carry out
a job but in the opportunities that have come their way.

Rural students miss out on opportunities owing to many

factors: flawed education system, lack of exposure,
inaccessibility of quality resources, remote geography,
cultural abstinence, poor learning infrastructure, etc.
Families of rural students invest in higher education with
the faith that they would one day lead a better life. But
sending their wards to college without ensuring access to
opportunities will likely to have no impact.
C
Theunemployment
Of 68 million graduates
rate among literate
Rural people have 93% in India, one-thirdare
R lesser chance of acquiring
training than urban
rural populationis
greater than
from rural areas and
almost all of them are
unemployment rate
people. first-generation college
among illiterate rural

I
goers.
population.

S
75%engineers and The literacy rate In the next 20 years,India
>90% of other among rural youth is will add another 480

I graduates from rural

areas are not readily
66% as compared to
78% among urban
million people to its
existing workforce of 430
employable. youth. million.

S
 We believe in the potential of rural graduates
Why And we believe that they rightfully deserve an
opportunity to live up to their potentials

Empower rural graduates to believe in

What themselves and make the world believe in
their potential.

By changing the mindset of the rural youth

Helping them make informed career choices
How
relevant to their skills and interest
Youth as the centre of BTS
 VISION
A nation where there is
no divide with regard to the
accessibility of knowledge,
skills, resources and
opportunities.

MISSION
Creating a movement of rural role models who
believe in changing their life and their
communities through education, skills and
opportunities
 OUR YOUTH

First-generation college
goers

Low-income household

Less support from the

stakeholders to achieve
their dreams

Lack of awareness and

access to career
opportunities
 BTS Approach
OUR YOUTH

College Programs

Village Programs

Training Sessions

Residential Programs

myopps.in

A book on
opportunities
 EmpowermentOUR
through
YOUTH

Self-awareness

Self-development

Awareness about career

opportunities

Access to career
opportunities through
training, mentoring and
supporting
 9 20
Colleges Sessions

1937
Students

college Programs

In college programs, we aim to increase the aspiration level of students

bytalking tothem about various career opportunities and guidingthem
ways of accessing those career opportunities
 The workshops gave me a peak into the lives of the students that made me see
how talented, versatile, ambitious and committed these students are. The
workshops gave me great satisfaction, for being able to share my knowledge with
students who have the potential to pursue these opportunities but do not just
because of the lack of awareness and thus put my knowledge to appropriate use.
Sravana
Trainer
 5
14
Villages
Sessions

164
Students

Village programs

The main objective of our village program is to create a community of local youth who play an
active role in changing their life and their communities
These session focuson self-awareness, building bonds and trust among youth andcreating
awareness about career opportunities.
Rural college students like me have big ambitions. We don't know the way. BTS plays a
important role in bridging the gap. We don't know about any course other than medicine and
engineering.BTS guides talented students from poor
background by creating awareness on many fellowships scholarships.
Despite having good subject knowledge, we have a hesitation to explore.
BTS helps us to overcome that by motivating us by makingus believe that we have skillsand
we must exhibit that. BTS deals with us in a friendly way. BTS guidance is like a power to
removethe ignorance of students!

Kaviarasi,
Student
 2
sessions

70
students

residential
program

Ourthree day residential program for girls is focused on building their self-
confidence, self-belief and social consciousness. We broaden their vision and
expose them to various opportunities they can pursue and help them make
plans for their future.
In three days, I learned to overcome
myinferiority complex, shyness and
hesitation.
We learned out leadership qualities
andteam work, identifiedour
strengths and weaknesses and the
opportunitiessurrounded us playing
games.
Itwasa life-changing experience
where I come to know about my
potential to achieve my dream.

Babisha,
Student
 11
Programs

232
Students

Training programs

Our training programs are usuallyone-day workshops designed around the

needs and demand of rural graduates.In these workshops we organise a
variety of carefully structured events on problem-solving and public speaking.
We also encourage them to dream for a better world for themselves and for
their society. On the practical level, our participants discuss the various
problems they face and ideate on how to overcome these.
Most of our youth has skills, but they are reluctant to express because of lack of confidence and
communication skills
I feel programs which BTS does change their attitude signifiicantly

Velrajan, Principal,SSB college, Kommadikottai

 New Initiatives
OUR YOUTH

myopps.in
myopps.in isa one-of -a-kindkind online platform whichhost detailed updatedinformation
onopportunities like fellowships, scholarships ,calls for public and private sector
jobs,entrepreneurship competitions and schemes, internships, entrance examsetc,
We are also committedtodocumenting experiences of people who have already gone through
those hosted opportunities in orderto inspire our rural graduates to aspireto achieve them.

Bodhi Tree Skills has partnered with the Digital Empowerment Foundation to create myopps.in.
It was really interesting and understanding experience for me. The rural gradutates, having
potential inside them and through BTS sessions, exploring them in total revolutionary way,
watching this, was a learning for me. This work with a proper planned way will change the
lives of many rural graduates

Saurabh Khumbare
Intern
Upcoming
OUR YOUTH

My Opportunities:A book on opportunities

Our mission at Bodhi Tree Foundation, is to help young rural

college graduates to preparefor the future and to find an
opportunity they deserve and love. We are excited about this
book because it directly contributes to realizing our mission of
creating avenues of opportunities for rural college graduates.

Mentorship Model

We are workingtowards amentorship model to

connectrural graduates with their urban counterparts
I had a wonderful opportunity to work with BTS for over five months as a trainer in a remote
village with an adolescent group. Their approach to work is practical and goal oriented
combined with Ashweetha's passion to change the discourse for rural graduates. The work
environment is the right balance between commitment and flexibility which adds to the
holistic development of the individual

Sruthi
Trainer
 We are grateful to

The rural youth

Friends and Family
Trainers
Volunteers
Interns
Panchayat leaders
College administration
Mentors
Donors
Well-wishers

Without themthis
journey wouldn't be
possible
COME AND BE PART OF OUR WORK

Contribute financial resources

Volunteer

Mentor a rural graduate

Donate books

Take a session

Follow us on social media to get more updates

 CONTACT US

bodhitreeskills@gmail.com
ashweethashetty@gmail.com

0462-2533388
9787782771

https://www.facebook.com/
bodhitreeskills

www.bodhitreeskills.in

56 B, Our lady of health

complex, STC road
Perumalpuram,
Tirunelveli- 627007
From my experience of working with many rural graduates, I am convinced that
most rural graduates don't think about the reality they would have to face when
they approach their careers. They are not aware of the choices or opportunities
they have in their lives. That worries me

Padma
Program Manager,
Bodhi Tree Skills
THANK YOU!