Skills developer Drishtee goes the extra mile to train rural youth in India for sustainable livelihoods

New York/New Delhi, 14 October 2013 - Specialized skills development company, Drishtee, announced the expansion of its piloted training and education program to build capacity for rural youth in India, as part as its commitment to the Business Call to Action (BCtA).

Drishtee is a growing social enterprise that works in low-income rural communities to provide sustainable livelihood options. As part of their commitment to the BCtA, Drishtee aims to support the creation of 21,000 new start-up enterprises in rural India and support 750,000 rural youth to find improved employment through vocational training.

Drishtee is utilizing its platform spanning nearly 6,000 villages to develop livelihoods beyond its role as an ICT organization. The company is increasingly recognized as an efficient 'last-mile' distribution network and is aiming to become the preferred first-mile out of the village.

We are delighted to welcome Drishtee to the BCtA, especially with their unique commitment to empowering youth with vocational skills and practical training to enter the workforce, said Sahba Sobhani, Acting Programme Manager of the Business Call to Action. The fact that Drishtee is investing in training centers and working to create the appropriate ecosystem for success is critical.

Villages in India are facing a basic sustainability challenge, forcing migration of members of families to cities in search of employment. Drishtee encourages members within these communities to initiate livelihood generating activities in the form of micro-enterprises. These enterprises range from ICT, rural BPO, farming and textiles, and provide not just an excellent platform for creating local livelihood opportunities, but also create work options for people to stay in their local communities.

To address the gap between existing skills and those actually in demand, Drishtee is working to improve access to quality training programs and has created training centers operating as rural schools and community vocational centers. Drishtee's vocational courses provide technical training and linkage to subsequent employment opportunities through a network of rural outsourcing centers. Since inception, the company's skills development training has helped mobilize an estimated 14,000 entrepreneurs from rural communities in India.

Drishtee continues to play a vital role in low-income communities by providing end-to-end support in the form of capacity building, credit linkage and market access, and by leveraging a number of key partnerships. With the support of the National Skills Development Corporation (NSDC), the company is focused on capacity building and specialized training to meet the needs for a skilled workforce. By expanding training and engaging youth communities in rural regions, Drishtee hopes to develop entrepreneurs and prepare young people to meet the new demands of evolving industries and sectors of growth.

"Drishtee is very pleased to join the select group of BCtA members in its commitment to provide viable skills training that will support livelihoods to support entrepreneurs through our integrated 4C model. The 4Cs stand for Community, Capacity, Credit and Channel. This approach helps create a more productive society," said Nitin Gachhayat, CEO of Drishtee.

Drishtee has been acknowledged and recognized for several pioneering initiatives, including e-governance for rural areas and private services tele-centres, which have been replicated and utilized by the Indian government; rural BPOs, which work on obtaining outsourced work from Indian urban areas; and rural supply chains. The company is also working to develop linkages with universities, corporations, and individuals in a continuing effort to scale up and develop successful programs.

For further information, images or an interview please contact:

Drishtee: Knowledge Boulevard, Tower B, 8th Floor; Sector 62, Noida - 201301; NCR; UP, India

Office: +91-120-4661000 | Mobile: +919910122220| Fax: +91-120-4661002

Email: info@drishtee.com Web: www.drishtee.com

BCtA: Karen Newman, karen.newman@undp.org, +1212-906-5194

Business Call to Action is a global initiative that challenges companies to develop inclusive business models that offer the potential for development impact along with commercial success. The initiative is the result of a partnership between the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, UK Department for International Development, US Agency for International Development, United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Global Compact, and the Clinton Global Initiative to meet the anti-poverty Millennium Development Goals by 2015. Companies report on progress toward commitments on an annual basis. To learn more, please visit www.businesscalltoaction.org or join the conversation on Twitter at @BCtAInitiative.