Microsoft announces Rs 2.2 cr grant for NGO imparting IT skills

New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) Microsoft Corporation India Pvt Ltd today announced a grant of Rs 2.2 crore to CAP, an NGO to provide Information Technology skills training to victims of human trafficking and to communities vulnerable to trafficking, targeting to benefit 38,590 people in three years.

This is part of the Project Jyoti Programme of Microsoft involving around Rs 27 crore since it's launch in 2003, focusing on improving lifelong learning for marginalised people by providing technological skills through community based learning centres.

Starting in June this year, Child and Police Project CAP the Hyderabad based NGO along with Delhi based Prayas and other NGO partners will engage with these communities to set up 95 community technology learning centres (CTLCs) across key urban and semi-urban centres in India. The CTLCs will also be located in strategic locations in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

''Our focus is on the marginalised vast majority which risks being on the fringes in terms of IT access. In this context, we are happy to engage with CAP for enabling IT enpowerment of victims of human trafficking,'' said Microsoft Corporation India Ltd Managing Director, Neelam Dhawan.

Speaking on the occasion, CAP Chairperson Nalini Gangadharan said, ''We will be training people in eight IT enabled sectors like hospitality sector, retail sector, designing jewellery on the computers and so on and then helpng them to find jobs. We plan to train 8250 people under this programme this year.'' UNI ARB MP PC1833