Beauty Care Vocational Training Course, Mumbai    

 

On 30th April 2024, six students from marginalized communities in Mumbai graduated from the Beauty Care Vocational Training Course! The course was funded by Arsha Shakti Foundation and was in collaboration with Vidya Institute, Mumbai, which is in the process of being established as a NGO. 

 

We had the honor of having Shri Tejasvee Abhishek Ghosalkar (Shiv Sena Nagar Sevika Ward no. 1), Shri Swamini Svatmavidyanada Saraswati, Shri Swamini Sadvidyananda Saraswati, Dr. Pravina Rodrigues, Mary Rodrigues, Shalina Rodrigues, and Mini Malik for the occasion. Shri Swamini Svatmavidyanada Saraswati traveled all the way from the United States to grace us with her presence, and Shri Swamini Sadvidyananda Saraswati attended all the way from Bardoli, Gujarat, to bless the new grads. 

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As we prepared for the graduation ceremony, I realized how time flies. It was going to be four months, and the six girls who were interviewed and selected to be part of the Beauty Care Vocational Training Course were now ready to graduate. We began our graduation ceremony with the students chanting the Gayatri Mantra. I then introduced Arsha Shakti Foundation, and we maintained a moment of silence in memory of our dear and beloved leader, Abhishek Ghosalkar, who had initially inaugurated the project. Our dignitaries were then felicitated with flowers, and the students briefly shared their learning experiences. They were grateful for the scholarship, and many stressed that since the cost of such training was prohibitive, none of them would have been able to afford it. One of the girls mentioned that the teaching was very thorough and easily outdid similar courses in the market. In all, the girls were satisfied with the breadth and depth of the learning. One of them has secured employment in a Beauty Parlor, while the others will be freelancing as there is a burgeoning demand for in-home beauty treatments and bridal makeup. 

 

While we were supposed to be honoring Shri Tejasvee, she showed herself to be a lovely, humble, and mindful leader by honoring each one of us with flowers and shawls and gifting each graduate with a water bottle! Each of our dignitaries then shared words of encouragement with our graduates. The students were then given certificates, vanity kits, and mithai. During our meeting, we also had the opportunity to discuss future collaborations with Shri Tejasvee and Arsha Shakti Foundation. 

 

The best part of the day was to see our graduates beaming with joy and empowered with a new tool to uplift themselves. This was followed by a wonderful homemade vegetarian meal cooked by Mary and Shalina Rodrigues and served on banana leaves by Shalina, Mini and Gini Malik! 

 

We are truly grateful to our donors for their efforts to change the world and for their care for the underprivileged! The students and teachers thank Arsha Shakti Foundation from the depth of their hearts!

 

Dr. Pravina Rodrigues

Director, Vidya Institute

Mumbai 

10th April, 2024