CherYsh Skilling & Entrepreneur Program

Women empowerment is one of the cornerstone principles at CherYsh. Some pivotal programs under this principle are the “CherYsh Skilling Program” and the “CherYsh Entrepreneur Program.” These programs empower women and help them escape agricultural bondage and debt cycles, enabling them to sustain their families and support their children’s education through CherYsh’s after-school learning programs. These efforts uplift communities by improving living standards and promoting financial independence. With a strong presence across 50+ villages, CherYsh continues to foster economic resilience by empowering rural women, nurturing their potential, and ensuring long-term sustainability for their ventures. CherYsh is addressing the challenges faced by rural women in Haliyal district, including limited work opportunities, underutilized skills, and barriers to market access. An example is quilt making, while a valuable skill, is labour-intensive and often unsustainable due to insufficient demand. To tackle these issues, CherYsh has launched an Entrepreneurship Development Program aimed at empowering women to build sustainable businesses. The program includes training in business development, financial literacy, project writing, and marketing strategies. Partnerships with organizations like KLE Tech University, Selco and the Deshpande Foundation provide mentorship and support to help women establish and manage sustainable enterprises. Additionally, the program offers financial literacy training, scheme orientation, and market linkages, indirectly benefiting over 200 women. Key Initiatives for Women’s Livelihoods Rural Teaching A Flagship Program: Learning Facilitators & Technology Educators: CherYsh has developed one of the most recognized Learning Facilitator (LF) & Master Trainer programs in rural India, partnering with esteemed institutions to ensure excellence in training. Key collaborators include: Transformational young women that aspire to be confident educators from Haliyal’s rural communities are selected for a rigorous 12-month LF program. The curriculum focuses on pedagogy, technology, and subject expertise in English, Math, and Computing. Weekly coaching sessions ensure participants develop into capable educators with regular incomes. Innovative Training Approach This flagship program not only empowers women with teaching skills but also transforms them into independent, confident contributors to their families and communities.

CherYsh Entrepreneur Program

Women empowerment is one of the cornerstone principles at CherYsh. Another pivotal program under this principle is the “CherYsh Entrepreneur Program.” CherYsh’s primary objective is to identify and develop the skills and potential of rural women, enabling them to engage in home-based industries and entrepreneurial endeavours. Through this program, economic empowerment is fostered, thereby elevating the standard of living for families and contributing to the continued education of their children. Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) CherYsh has established a robust grassroots presence in over 50 villages within Haliyal Taluk, launching the Entrepreneurial Development Program (EDP) to empower rural women entrepreneurs. This initiative provides comprehensive training in business development, financial literacy, project writing, and marketing strategies. In response to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and regional floods, the program supports women who are eager to contribute financially but lack the resources or guidance to establish businesses. Through collaborative partnerships with esteemed organizations such as KLE Tech University, Selco, and the Deshpande Foundation, CherYsh empowers women to establish resilient enterprises. Participants are provided with two years of uninterrupted mentorship and support, ensuring their success. Furthermore, financial literacy training and market linkage assistance indirectly benefit over 1000 women, contributing to a broader community impact. Retail Food Products: Empowering Women Through Community Kitchens Launched in 2013 in collaboration with the Roviralta Foundation, the CherYsh Community Kitchen Program has surpassed our initial expectations over the past decade. This program has fostered new partnerships with esteemed organizations such as Taj Hotels, Akshaya Patra, EID Parrys, Murugappa Group, Selco Foundation, and Buzz Women India. The program empowers rural women to utilize their culinary expertise through home-based enterprises, thereby generating income and enabling them to support their families and ensure their children’s education. Participants from Haliyal received comprehensive training in food hygiene, business management, and finance through classroom programs facilitated by Buzz Women India. Additionally, they gained practical insights through visits to the Taj Gateway Hotel Kitchen and the Akshaya Patra community kitchen. These visits provided them with exposure to best practices in large-scale cooking, packaging, and hygiene. In collaboration with EID Parrys and Murugappa Group, the program secured daily food supply orders for cafeteria workers. Over the past decade, this initiative has significantly transformed the lives of hundreds of women, providing them with sustainable livelihood opportunities within the Haliyal region. The Community Kitchen Program remains dedicated to empowering rural women, transforming their acquired skills into viable and sustainable livelihoods. This initiative fosters independence, financial stability, and ensures the continued education of their children. Program Objectives Program Highlights CherYsh partnered with the Center for Entrepreneurship Development of Karnataka (CEDOK) to provide entrepreneurship training to over 100 women from rural Haliyal. Through this program, participants acquired essential skills in business development, project writing, marketing, and financial management, equipping them with the knowledge and abilities to establish and manage their own enterprises successfully. What People Say “As the Education Coordinator at the Block Education Office, I’ve collaborated with CherYsh for seven years. When CherYsh sought English training for their Learning Facilitators, we partnered to launch the Learning Facilitator Training Program. This initiative addressed the education gap and provided valuable employment opportunities for young women in the region.” James Dsouza, Education Co-ordinator, BEO, Haliyal “CherYsh, a non-governmental organization, has collaborated with Deshpande Pvt. Industrial Training Institute to promote education and skill development. Their partnership has been successful in empowering women in Haliyal district, leading to increased household income and improved education standards in their villages.” Mr. Prakash Prabhu, Chief officer, Deshpande Trust “I’ve been a Learning Facilitator with Shiksha for six years. After completing my 12th standard, my family didn’t support my dream of continuing education, so I married. Joining CherYsh was a life-changing opportunity. I’m grateful for the chance to share knowledge and positively impact the children’s education. When I’m with my students, I’m fully immersed in their learning.” Mangala Mirash, Learning facilitator of the Shiksha program, Sathnalli village

CherYsh Educator Program

Women empowerment is one of the cornerstone principles at CherYsh. Another pivotal program under this principle is the “CherYsh Educator Program.” This program aims to empower local women as teachers, helping to meet the educational needs for the young children of their communities. English, science and maths teachers, often referred to locally as “Learning Facilitators” undergo over 50 hours of in-person sessions and supplementary online training that focuses on pedagogy, technology, and subject coaching. Modules incorporate interactive activities, songs, and play to create an engaging learning experience. This approach has transformed over 200 women into confident educators and master trainers with stable incomes. Their societal dignity contributes to improved learning outcomes for the rural children they teach. Key Partnerships Supporting the Program CherYsh has developed one of the most widely recognized Learning Facilitator Training Programs in rural India. Collaborating with esteemed institutions such as the Council for Technical Education (CFTE), Pi Jam, Raspberry Pi, KLE Technological University, Intel Corporation, and Deshpande Private Industrial Training Institute (DIPTI). As a result, this program underscores excellence in education, technology, and subject matter expertise. Strategic Partners and Focus Areas CFTE E-classroom modules for STEM education. Pi Jam Coding education and master trainer programs. Raspberry Pi Hardware provision and user training KLE Tech University Coaching in English, Math, and Computer Science Intel Corporation Technology infrastructure support. DIPTI Training in multimedia tools. Thoughtworks Software training Program Overview CherYsh identifies and trains young, qualified women from Haliyal’s rural communities to become educators and master trainers in technology for the various CherYsh Shiksha Centers. The 12-month learning facilitator program comprises weekly sessions covering pedagogy, technology integration, and subject-specific coaching (English, Mathematics, and Computing). Each educator is provided with a digital tablet, preloaded with curated content from CherYsh’s strategic partners. Our Differentiation Our Impact Graduates of the program emerge as competent educators with stable incomes, contributing to rural development and enhanced learning outcomes for students. Through education and skill development, CherYsh empowers women, transforming communities and fostering sustainable socio-economic progress.

CherYsh Junior Shiksha Program

Education of girls in rural India is one of the cornerstone principles at CherYsh. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why CherYsh was founded. Another pivotal program under this principle is the “CherYsh Junior Shiksha Program.” CherYsh Junior Shiksha empowers rural communities by nurturing young minds, fostering creative and emotional growth, and engaging parents in their children’s educational journeys. Together, these efforts are transforming the lives of rural children and shaping a brighter future for women as well. CherYsh Junior Shiksha provides holistic development opportunities for rural children in India through After-School Learning Centers. These centers are in the government schools located in over 30 villages at any time and offer a supportive neighbourhood learning environment led by trained young women as Learning Facilitators and Master Trainers. Program Highlights:1. Active Rural Curriculum: Engaging methodologies such as music, art, puppetry, and games help teach English and Mathematics through phonics-based learning modules.2. Digital Integration: Tools and e-learning modules enhance education, incorporating the Meghshala digital platform.3. Creativity and Physical Well-being: Weekly sports activities and hands-on workshops, including clay modelling, paper crafts, creative writing, plays, songs, and dance, nurture physical and creative growth. Since 2015, CherYsh has impacted over 10,000 children, fostering academic success and personal growth in rural communities. Strategic Partnerships CherYsh collaborates with CFTE and Ontum Education Pvt. Ltd. to deliver innovative digital education. CFTE STEAM (STEM + Art) modules align with CherYsh’s goals, offering e lessons enriched with images, videos, and strategies. The content is accessible offline via tablets used by our Learning Facilitators, thereby ensuring learning continuity even in areas with limited internet access. Program Goals and Objectives To provide foundational learning with a focus on holistic language and numeracy development for rural children, especially girls, empowering them for lifelong success. The key objectives were as follows: 1. Enhance Foundational LearningImprove literacy and numeracy proficiency by 20% in the first year.Implement age-appropriate curriculum tailored to student needs.2. Foster Holistic Language DevelopmentEnhance listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, improving language proficiency by 15% in two years.Use interactive storytelling, language games, and group discussions.3. Promote Socio-Emotional GrowthBuild emotional intelligence and social skills through confidence-building exercises, teamwork, and mindfulness techniques.4. Increase Parental EngagementBoost parental participation in workshops and meetings by 25% over three years, fostering a supportive home learning environment.  Key Activities 1. Foundational LearningConduct pre-assessments to address learning gaps.Deliver interactive sessions on basic literacy and numeracy.Regularly evaluate and refine teaching methods.2. Language DevelopmentIntegrate storytelling, language games, and group activities.Provide structured writing exercises to enhance expression.3. Socio-Emotional DevelopmentEncourage role-playing, teamwork, and mindfulness.Foster a safe environment for emotional expression.4. Parental EngagementHost parent-teacher meetings and workshops.Organize “Show and Tell” events to strengthen community involvement.   What People Say “As a CherYsh™ Junior Shiksha program student, I can confidently say it transformed my life. Before joining, I struggled with English and Math, making it hard to keep up with classmates. But now, I have quality learning support right in my neighbourhood.” Ashwini, Student, Yedoga Village “Beyond academics, the CherYsh™ Junior Shiksha program fosters students’ growth in sports, art, and creativity. Witnessing their blossoming creativity fills me with gratitude. It has also boosted my teaching confidence, making me a respected village member. I hope more villages in the region can benefit from this program.” Ms. Savitri Channappa Ugnikeri, Learning Facilitator, Kavalwad Village

CherYsh Gram Labs (formerly eShiksha) Program

Education of girls in rural India is one of the cornerstone principles at CherYsh. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why CherYsh was founded. Another pivotal program under this principle is the “CherYsh Gram Labs (formerly eShiksha) Program.” The Gram Labs (formerly eShiksha) program bridges the digital divide by offering quality technology education to rural students. By empowering Learning Facilitators and Technology educators and equipping e Shiksha Centers with cost-effective digital tools, the program fosters holistic digital learning and problem-solving skills through coding, digital making, and computational thinking. Primary Objectives of Gram Labs (formerly eShiksha)1. Digital Literacy for AllTraining students in programming, logical reasoning, and physical computing through hands-on coding in Scratch, Python, and HTML.Encouraging project-based learning, with students creating competition-worthy projects annually.2. Community-Centric DesignRevamping existing community spaces to establish fully equipped computer labs accessible to students from Grades 5 to 9.Engaging local women as trained Learning Facilitators to build sustainable computing education ecosystems.3. Integrated CurriculumA 50-hour, grade-specific computing curriculum that blends academic subjects (Math, Science, and English) with practical coding applications.Physical computing, problem-solving, and design-thinking modules emphasize real-world relevance.4. Empowering EducatorsOngoing training for Learning Facilitators to master digital tools, deliver interactive lessons, and integrate computational skills into teaching.  Program ImpactOperating in Haliyal Taluk, Karnataka, for over three years, e Shiksha has:Reached over 100 students per center across multiple rural villages, benefiting learners aged 10 to 16.Created a recurring 12-month intervention cycle to provide continuous support for students and facilitators. A Flagship Partnership: Technology, Learning, and Livelihood InfrastructureCherYsh launched its flagship partnership with KLE Technological University in 2012, which has grown into a groundbreaking joint venture in 2024 with the establishment of the KLE-CherYsh Center of Excellence for rural STEM education. Recognizing that modern learning and livelihood programs depend on technology, electric power, computers, and Wi-Fi, CherYsh developed strategic partnerships with KLE Technological University, Intel, Selco and Mphasis to overcome these challenges. The KLE-CherYsh Partnership focuses on sustainable digital solutions for rural villages, that includes stable electric and communications solutions. Since 2012, KLE’s Rural Innovation Through Education (RITE) volunteer program has empowered university students to mentor rural children in technology and mothers in entrepreneurship, enabling knowledge-sharing and skill-building in underserved areas. Over 100 STEM college students have participated in the RITE program, contributing to rural development. To further support CherYsh and other partners step in by providing training in software, communications, and digital hardware for both students and Learning Facilitators (LFs). These partnerships have been instrumental in scaling CherYsh’s modern learning and livelihood programs across rural communities. CherYsh collaborates with leading organizations to enhance the Gram Labs (formerly eShiksha) initiative:1. PiJam Foundation: Supplies content, hardware, and training for digital literacy programs.2. Raspberry Pi Foundation: Provides affordable hardware (Raspberry Pi processors) and baseline assessments.3. ThoughtWorks: Delivers communications platforms and technological infrastructure. STEM Integration in Gram Labs (formerly eShiksha) To deepen the impact of e Shiksha, the program integrates STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education:Curriculum Design: Practical modules in robotics, circuitry, and engineering challenges.STEM Kits: Tools and resources for interactive experiments, emphasizing applied learning.Educator Support: Training Learning Facilitators in STEM education methodologies. Program Objectives 1. Develop Digital Proficiency: Enhance programming, logical reasoning, and physical computing skills among rural students.2. Foster Creativity: Encourage students to create projects for coding competitions, promoting innovation and critical thinking.3. Empower Learning Facilitators: Train young women as Master Trainers to sustain and scale the program.4. Promote Inclusivity: Increase access to quality technology education for rural girls, creating a gender-equitable learning environment.5. Integrate STEM Skills: Equip students with practical knowledge that bridges academics and real-world applications. Outcomes and Vision Establish a pipeline for technical education, higher studies, and tech careers in rural areas.Empower a network of women Master Trainers who can teach tech in regional languages.Close the digital divide, providing students with tools to compete with their urban counterparts. Participate in this century’s digital economySpark local innovation by creating platforms for tech expression and entrepreneurial exploration. With support from the Ministry of Education and continued collaborations, CherYsh aims to transform rural STEM education and livelihoods, ensuring every child has the tools to thrive in a technology-driven world.  What People Say “I started as a junior Shiksha facilitator at CherYsh™ Trust and later became a computer facilitator. Despite initial challenges, training equipped me to teach computers to students, many from tribal communities. Teaching them requires patience. I’m grateful to CherYsh™ for bringing the program to this remote village. The villagers have embraced it, providing all the necessary support.” Ms. Kanchana Kammar Learning Facilitator, CherYsh eShiksha Program, Tattigera village “As a proud eShiksha program parent, I’m thrilled to see my daughter, Soumya’s, incredible progress. Before joining, she had no computer or technology experience. Now, she’s confident and skilled. Watching her work and enhance her tech abilities daily is wonderful. I’m fortunate Soumya had CherYsh™’s eShiksha program.” Neelavva Soumya, Mother, CherYsh eShiksha Program, Arlwad village “In a small classroom, the eShiksha program began. Initially unfamiliar with computers, the children learned basics in a fun way. They used mice and explored Raspberry Pi tools for educational software. As weeks passed, they mastered tasks like typing, creating digital art, and coding simple programs. Their excitement grew as they discovered technology’s endless possibilities. CherYsh, a life-changing force in our villages, made this possible.” Mr. M Danagge, Headmaster, Janaga Village “Initially unaware of computers, I assumed learning MS Word and Excel would suffice. However, CherYsh™ offered more than that. I discovered coding and computing, which ignited my passion. Seeing the LED light up after successfully coding filled me with pride and joy. I’m grateful for this chance to learn and grow.” Aaditya Bhatkhande, Student, Standard 6, Government Higher Primary School, Alur