Satyaprata lives in Haldi village in the Sonepur district of Odisha. He studied till 12th grade and joined his father to help in the traditional occupation of agriculture. His family cultivates rice, and it remains the only source of income for them. Satyaprata also has two elder sisters, and both of them are married, and his father has his hopes pinned on him to earn money for the family.
"After 12th grade, I was looking for a job opportunity, but there wasn't any. It was frustrating, and then I met Ananda Pradhan sir", he recalls. Ananda Pradhan from Pratham's mobilising team had visited his village to generate awareness about the course in the Electrical vertical at the centre in Cuttack. "It was interesting, but I was not sure whether it was authentic", he adds.
It was very natural for Satyaprata to feel sceptical. "I am the first one from my village to come here", he smiles. He then explains his family background to us in more detail. He speaks Sambalpuri, a dialect from his state, and he had to get acquainted with Odiya while communicating with his friends at the centre. However, he was firm to take this opportunity as his priority was set - he had to earn money, and only agriculture was not going to help him. But he admits that his friends and the teachers at the centre were very cooperative and helped him to adjust. "I like the way of teaching here. The teachers explain things in a very simple way, and more importantly, there is an emphasis on practical training", he says.
Satyaprata overcame these initial challenges and adjusted to the schedule at the centre. He grasped the techniques well and began to enjoy the sessions in the second month of the course. More importantly, he developed new friendships and says it is his biggest gain from the course. "I find it amazing to have friends from other districts and I never expected this when I was in the village", he says. "It was difficult because I was the first person from my village to come here."
He is now keen to get a job and start a new inning in life. "But how will you learn Hindi", we ask, and his face lights up!
"I like to watch Hindi movies and I hence I can speak and understand Hindi. My favourite actor is Aamir Khan, and my favourite movie is Dangal", he says. Apart from television and movies, his Hindi has also improved because of the video messages he receives on Whatsapp.
Satyaprata is keen to move to any city in India that will provide him with a stable job and a good income. But he also has one more thing in mind after he gets a job. "I will go back to my village and give positive feedback about this course to my friends. If I can do this, why can't they?"
"After 12th grade, I was looking for a job opportunity, but there wasn't any. It was frustrating, and then I met Ananda Pradhan sir", he recalls. Ananda Pradhan from Pratham's mobilising team had visited his village to generate awareness about the course in the Electrical vertical at the centre in Cuttack. "It was interesting, but I was not sure whether it was authentic", he adds.
It was very natural for Satyaprata to feel sceptical. "I am the first one from my village to come here", he smiles. He then explains his family background to us in more detail. He speaks Sambalpuri, a dialect from his state, and he had to get acquainted with Odiya while communicating with his friends at the centre. However, he was firm to take this opportunity as his priority was set - he had to earn money, and only agriculture was not going to help him. But he admits that his friends and the teachers at the centre were very cooperative and helped him to adjust. "I like the way of teaching here. The teachers explain things in a very simple way, and more importantly, there is an emphasis on practical training", he says.
Satyaprata overcame these initial challenges and adjusted to the schedule at the centre. He grasped the techniques well and began to enjoy the sessions in the second month of the course. More importantly, he developed new friendships and says it is his biggest gain from the course. "I find it amazing to have friends from other districts and I never expected this when I was in the village", he says. "It was difficult because I was the first person from my village to come here."
He is now keen to get a job and start a new inning in life. "But how will you learn Hindi", we ask, and his face lights up!
"I like to watch Hindi movies and I hence I can speak and understand Hindi. My favourite actor is Aamir Khan, and my favourite movie is Dangal", he says. Apart from television and movies, his Hindi has also improved because of the video messages he receives on Whatsapp.
Satyaprata is keen to move to any city in India that will provide him with a stable job and a good income. But he also has one more thing in mind after he gets a job. "I will go back to my village and give positive feedback about this course to my friends. If I can do this, why can't they?"
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