On 25th May 2025, a transformative Career Guidance Programme was conducted by Rural Women Development Trust (RWDT) at Ananda Goundar Mandapam, Edappadi, Salem. The event was a beacon of hope and clarity for over 150 students from Class 9 to 12, representing the blocks of Edappadi, Sangagiri, and Konganapuram, where RWDT’s Education Centres are actively functioning.

With the dedicated coordination of Ms. Kavitha, Ms. Vanitha, and Ms. Uma, and support from passionate Education Motivators, the students embarked on a journey to discover the multitude of opportunities that await them after school.

The session was graced by insightful speakers like Mr. Gurumoorthy, Admission Coordinator from Sri Sathyam Engineering College, Mr. P. Rajan, Manager Documentation, and Mr. Radhakrishnan, Textile Coordinator from RWDT. They shared crucial information about over 100 career paths available beyond the commonly known professions like Engineer, Doctor, or Advocate — highlighting the urgent need to widen the horizons of career awareness among students.

The children learned about:

• Various courses after 10th and 12th (ITI, Polytechnic, Professional, and Government Arts & Science Colleges),
• How to utilize Google for academic research, and
• Available government scholarships and schemes for higher education.

The event also focused on holistic development, beginning with a session on Child Protection. Children actively engaged in discussions about Child Rights, the Juvenile Justice Act, and child marriage, gaining knowledge about their legal rights and protections.

Given the adolescent age group of the participants, a brief orientation on adolescence was included. The session addressed physical, mental, and emotional changes, the importance of avoiding risky behaviors, and how to build life skills such as communication, emotional regulation, and problem-solving.

The programme fostered confidence, awareness, and aspiration among the children — especially girls, who turned out in large numbers, expressing strong intent to pursue higher education.

All participants were provided with refreshments and lunch, and the event concluded with immense gratitude expressed by the children and RWDT staff towards the Azim Premji Foundation for their generous support in making this impactful programme a reality.