Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Lucent Technologies (NYSE:LU) takes great pleasure in announcing the launch of the Lucent Employability Fund in India set up by the Lucent Technologies Foundation. The Lucent Technologies Foundation manages the philanthropic activities of Lucent Technologies, with a focus on education, youth development and volunteerism. The Global Fund for Youth Development was created in 1999 by the Foundation to strengthen and expand effective projects which enhance young people's academic life and vocational skills. The fund sponsored 550 projects, reaching out to 5,52,000 young people and teachers. In 2005 the Lucent Employability Fund was created under which activities to enhance youth employability are being implemented over a two year time frame. $ 2.8 million have been invested in 15 countries spanning South America, Europe, East and South East Asia.
The Lucent Employability Fund in India represents a new partnership between Lucent Technologies Foundation, and Youthreach to provide funds for life skills, vocational training, entrepreneurship, self-employment and employability training to youth from disadvantaged communities. The work undertaken by the Lucent Employability Fund complements Youthreach's mission of creating possibilities for young people to realize their aspirations and lead their lives with dignity.
Following an intensive process of screening proposals by the Lucent Advisory Board of experts from the field of Youth development and employability, three NGOs from Delhi and Hyderabad have been selected to receive the grant money under the Lucent Employability Fund. The selected NGOs-Hope Foundation, Dhriiti and SAHARA are implementing with deep commitment and sensitivity, creative and effective programmes around the issues of youth employment and employability in Delhi and Hyderabad.
Dhriiti's Project titled "Ek Naya Aasman" seeks to inculcate the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst disadvantaged youth who are currently part of the non-formal education system. The entrepreneurship module has been developed over 6 months of intensive interaction with local communities especially the youth. The entrepreneurship module will be implemented through a training of trainer model and will include soft as well as functional skills. "Ek Naya Aasman" will reach out to 1200 youth over a period of two years enabling them to widen their horizons and to dream. In addition 30 trainers in NGOs will be trained to impart the curriculum to the youth, and 100 peer leaders will be trained to enhance the reach of the programme.
Hope Foundation's project titled "Live Your Dream" aims to increase the employability potential of youth in the Village of Hope in Tahirpur by introducing courses in printing technology and office management. The existing 5 year old computer centre will be ramped up to provide these courses and at the end of the project period, 400 youth who are dependents of families where a member if affected by Leprosy, would have benefited from this programme.
SAHARA's project titled "Counseling Resource and Training Centre for Youth" will provide critical counseling, and referral services to youth in Hyderabad to guide and enable them to access training programmes that are in line with their aptitude and interest. In addition SAHARA will be offering intensive training in sales and marketing, tailoring and computer operations to enhance the employability and self-employment potential of youth from disadvantaged sections.
The India launch of the Lucent Employability Fund will be held on the 4th of May, 2006 at 6:30 in the India International Centre Annexe. The launch function will include presentations by the NGO partners and addresses by representatives from Youthreach and Lucent Technologies. For more information contact Youthreach (26533520/25/30, 41649067, 41664084/5.
About Lucent Technologies
Lucent Technologies designs and delivers the systems, services and software that drive next-generation communications networks. Backed by Bell Labs research and development, Lucent uses its strengths in mobility, optical, software, data and voice networking technologies, as well as services, to create new revenue-generating opportunities for its customers, while enabling them to quickly deploy and better manage their networks. Lucent's customer base includes communications service providers, governments and enterprises worldwide. For more information on Lucent Technologies, which has headquarters in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit http://www.lucent.com.
About the Lucent Technologies Foundation
The Lucent Technologies Foundation is the charitable arm of Lucent Technologies. With a primary focus on education and youth development, the Foundation supports programs in Lucent communities around the globe. For more information on the Lucent Foundation, visit its Web site at: http://www.lucent.com/news/foundation/home.html
Sheetal Raje, Lucent Technologies , +91 (022) 56798798, +91932449 8886 sheetalraje@lucent.com
Source: Lucent Technologies (Business Wire India)
Press release presented here is sourced from the Source mentioned above and is provided on as-is basis. Please contact the Company / Source directly for any further information in regard to this release. This website will be unable to assist you in regard to the accuracy or correctness of information in this release.