In a quietly revolutionary corner of Chhattisgarh, a new kind of empowerment is taking shape—one that neither shouts nor grandstands, but simmers gently with purpose. Project Yuva, a youth-centric vocational training initiative backed by the district administration, is redefining how we view gender, livelihood, and the kitchen.
At the Livelihood College, a modest yet dynamic training programme in cooking and baking is attracting not just young women, but also young men eager to chart new career paths. The month-long course currently trains 34 youth, including four young men, who are learning to master both traditional and contemporary culinary skills.
That young men are enrolling in culinary programmes may not seem headline-worthy to some, but it points to a broader societal shift. Traditionally viewed as a domestic domain reserved for women, the kitchen is now being reclaimed as a professional space—open to all, driven by skill, and powered by ambition.
Trainers from Jagdalpur and Dhamtari are guiding these participants through a structured course that includes the preparation of over 150 dishes—from street-side favourites to elegant baked goods.
Hina Chandrakar, a participant, notes that while cooking is second nature to many women, learning its professional nuances is a stepping stone to self-reliance. Deepak Das, who already operates a food stall, speaks of newfound skills and recipes that will help him grow his modest enterprise into something more sustainable and profitable.
What makes Project Yuva commendable is its emphasis on inclusive skilling. It does not discriminate based on gender, nor does it romanticise poverty. It simply meets the youth where they are and helps them move forward. In doing so, it challenges long-held notions of who belongs in a kitchen and what constitutes “real work.”
Moreover, this training initiative is a gentle reminder that livelihood policies, when designed with empathy and relevance, can change lives. With India’s demographic dividend yet to be fully realised, programmes like Project Yuva offer a replicable model for localised, gender-sensitive, and industry-aligned vocational training.
The hope is that such efforts will not remain isolated. They must be scaled, funded, and institutionally supported, so that a thousand such kitchens can rise—not only as places of nourishment but also as sites of economic dignity and personal reinvention.
🔸 “Empowerment does not always arrive with a slogan; sometimes, it comes with a spoon and a skill.”
Author: This news is edited by: Abhishek Verma, (Editor, CANON TIMES)
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