Lend A Hand India

Lend A Hand India, established in 2006 in Pune, Maharashtra, is a non-profit organization working at the intersection of education and livelihood to provide youth employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. Lend A Hand India focuses on integrating vocational education with mainstream education at secondary and higher secondary education levels (Grades 9-12 and students aged 14-18) to make secondary education more meaningful and interesting for their sustainable livelihoods. We set up labs with requisite tools and equipment, recruit and train qualified vocational trainers, arrange internship opportunities for the students, and get them assessed and certified, followed by placement support. Students are also provided internship opportunities with small or micro-enterprises to help them gain real-life exposure to the “World of Work.” We also bridge the gap between policy and execution by providing technical and project management support to the state governments to scale up vocational education. Our team members are co-located within the state education department, helping the state formulate the policy for vocational education and ensure effective execution. Out of 270+ employees, 50+ Lend A Hand India staff members support 25 states across India. Lend A Hand India's current scale in partnership with state governments is schools with 1.2 million+ students.