Rana Liaquat Ali Khan (RLCC), Empowering Women Karachi, Education Program, Health Care Centre, Vocational Training

OVERVIEW
	The Vocational Training Centre focuses on empowering women by enabling them to become self-reliant and financially independent within their households and hence within the community. With this aim, the Vocational Training Centre focuses on imparting income generating skills to the women of the area. Historically we have been teaching the traditional skills of cutting and sewing, hand and machine embroidery, arts and crafts and mehndi application. Keeping the community’s needs in mind, over the past few years, other classes have been introduced. These include: Computer literacy, Beautician courses English language courses. We have approximately 200 girls on our roll and courses have been modified to accommodate their needs. As such, some courses have been shortened so that they are provided quick-fix solutions to their immediate need for income.

INCOME GENERATION
	Income generation is at the forefront of our vocational training efforts, whereby the women are not only taught skills but also the opportunity to market their products. Due to the success of this initiative, RLCC has hired additional staff to train women. In particular, our newspaper bag project has been hugely popular and the bags are being supplied to retail outlets in the city. We provide the women with the raw material and they are paid according to the number of bags they produce. This has been a huge success as these women see that their family’s financial needs are fulfilled right away. The RLCC provides support for women’s entrepreneurship by giving them a platform to market their products. They produce samples of their work which we circulate for orders. Approximately 150 ladies are earning a livelihood through the income generation department. They have provided us with many different items including embroidered shirts, dupattas, cushion covers and napkins, beaded pouches, key chains, fabric gift bags, jute bags, crochet items, etc. Currently we are supporting approximately 150 families through this effort. We have also been conducting demonstration classes on various topics. In 2010, 31 such classes (with approximately 216 participants) were held on topics including: Newspaper bag making Gift envelopes for wedding gifts and Eid Tie and Dye Block printing Fancy bags Block Printing We have taken part in various exhibitions to market the products of the income generation program, including: APWA Conference in February 2010, Arts Council on March 10th, 2010, SAARC Women’s Association Mela on March 16th, 2010, ASIAN Women’s Association Mela, and a Mela held by the Secretariat for Women’s Development held at the Expo Centre. Along with the above, we participated in a number of exhibitions held at people’s homes. Hosts included Zara Saeed, Dania Habib, Zehra Gheewala, and Saba Paracha. On July 6th, 2010 we held a Mela and Fashion Show which was attended by approximately 400 people. We invited women from the community to book stalls for their products, and we also sold items made by our Income Generation Program. There was entertainment for the children as well, and lively music provided a festive atmosphere.

FUTURE PLANS
	In collaboration with the Rangoonwala Trust, we hope to add a floor to the existing Vocational Training Centre. Introduce technical and paramedical training courses