Capacity Building

Capacity Building is one of the important verticals that BRLF has decided to work on to build the capacities of rural professionals in the country, who are otherwise not available at the grassroots. BRLF has designed a unique and innovative training program called the Certificate Program in Rural Livelihoods (CPRL) to address the challenge of scarce trained human resources at the field level particularly focused on tribal areas. BRLF has joined hands with IIHMRU, Jaipur to run this flagship Capacity Building initiative for tribal youth aged between 18 to 40 years from the Central India Tribal belt.

CPRL seeks to address the capacity building challenge for existing and aspiring rural professionals who would potentially engage as frontline functionaries of CSOs, government institutions or with offices of elected representatives of the PRIs and SHG federation leaders. It incorporates a series of capacity building modules on Rural Livelihoods, packaged as per the needs of the target groups and different institutional partners (both Government and CSOs). This certificate program is conducted at 13 locations across nine states; where BRLF supported CSOs provide field-based training on modules that they have experience and expertise in the fields.

CPRL is a 6-month certificate program, consisting of 15 learning modules, divided into two main parts: Part A covers the theoretical and conceptual aspects of rural livelihoods while Part B focuses on the empirical studies and practical implications of the theory. These modules are delivered by 16 knowledge partners at 13 locations across nine states in India.

BRLF in collaboration with IIHMRU, Jaipur inaugurated the first batch of CPRL on 15th November 2016. A total of six batches with a collective strength of 174 tribal youths have been launched till date. 146 youths have successfully completed the course and are working with different CSOs and PRIs at the grassroots. The remaining 28 more youth are enrolled in the 6th cohort launched on 12th December 2019.

BRLF has also been providing financial support to bright Adivasi students from Central India Tribal Belt to pursue a two-year MBA in Rural Management from School of Development Studies, IIHMRU, Jaipur. This initiative was started in 2017 with the extension of financial support to six tribal candidates for the MBA-Rural Management batch 2017-19. Taking encouraging lessons from the first batch, BRLF has continued its support to six and four candidates in the 2018-20 and 2019-21 batch respectively. Out of the total 16 tribal youth sponsored by BRLF, four are CPRL graduates. The remaining candidates have been screened out of the nominations received from the CSOs working in the tribal areas of Central India. This two-year, practitioner-oriented MBA aspires to create professionals who will work at the grassroots and address the challenges of sustainable development. 12 of these 16 candidates have successfully completed the course and working with organizations like Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society (JSLPS), Vikas Sahyog Kendra, Srishti, Sewa and Indian Health Action Trust (IHAT).

Taking further its mandate of providing capacity building support to rural professionals, BRLF has entered into a partnership with Jharkhand State Livelihoods Promotion Society (JSLPS) with an objective to train the field professionals of JSLPS on various facets of Livelihoods. As the first step, BRLF with support from its knowledge partners has developed a 26 days’ training programme called ‘Short term training programme on Rural Livelihoods’. The first batch of the programme with a strength of 25 candidates was launched on the 24th of May 2019.