Har Asha Foundation: Nurturing Hope for a Healthier India

In India, more than two million people migrate annually from rural areas and small towns to cities in search of a better life. Their lack of schooling and marketable skills often limits their ability to provide for themselves and their families. Har Asha Foundation, a charitable organization founded by Sushma and Sandeep Kishore, seeks to empower people through vocational training and skill development.

In 2014, Har Asha provided a multi-year grant supporting Pratham’s vocational training program in the healthcare sector. Our three-month program, geared to economically disadvantaged women ages 18-30, provides classroom courses followed by hands-on, practical training at local hospitals. It also includes a bedside assistance course offered in affiliation with the Healthcare Sector Skill Council of India’s National Skill Development Corporation.

Our partnership with Har Asha Foundation offers a chance for young women to make a positive impact in their own lives while also meeting India’s growing demand for nursing paraprofessionals. Upon completion, students are placed in jobs at hospitals, nursing facilities, clinics and patient homes. The Har Asha grant covers the cost of transportation, training, job placement and follow-up support, and, in 2015, it gave 50 women the opportunity to participate in our healthcare training program—and a chance at a better life.