The Social Enterprise Network Sustainability (SEN) Award for education was presented by YPO (Young Presidents’ Organisation) to Chockalingam Valliappa, CEO of Sona Yukti at its annual event held at Cape Town, South Africa last week.

The top accolade from the premier leadership organization for chief executives in the world is ‘for creating a positive impact by helping over 55,000 economically disadvantaged individuals, majority women, train for and achieve highly skilled jobs in marginalized communities”.

Sona Yukti is the only Indian organisation to be selected as part of the SEN awards by YPO for 2018.

Sona Yukti focuses on providing life-changing opportunity for the disadvantaged, in partnership with the government of India and follows standards set up by the National Skills Development Corporation. To date, it runs 50 vocational schools in rural India, providing a skilled workforce for companies and opportunities for those workers to lift themselves from poverty.

The Sona Yukti centres located in rural areas in Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh skill over 25,000 young men and women annually to gain employment in Business Process Outsourcing (non-voice), Retailing, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Solar Energy sector. In addition, special programs help instill skills to take up jobs in Textile industry and Apparel Making.

Once skilled by Sona Yukti trainers the learners go through an assessment test by HireMee and are presented suitable job openings both digitally and through dedicated job fairs. HireMee bridges the gap between skilled work force and employers to find the suitable candidates. For skilled candidates assessment portal helps find jobs closer home. Since the cost of skill training is borne by the Sona Group as part of its CSR effort the students do not have to pay for the skill programs, assessment and jobs.

YPO is the premier global leadership organization for more than 27,000 chief executives in over 130 countries and the global platform for them to engage, learn and grow.

Created 11 years ago, the SEN awards single out YPO members who are creating a positive impact in their communities and companies. Each winner leads a venture that makes an impact in areas including health care, equality education, employment, eradicating poverty and preserving the planet.

“The candidates serve as inspiring models for others to have a sustainable impact in their businesses and communities,” says Doug Mellinger, Managing Director at Clarion Capital Partners, and a chairperson of the 2018 award selection jury.

“I was blown away by all the candidates and am proud to have served as the chair for this year’s judging process,” Mellinger said. “The winners and runners-up are the best-of-the-best, and we all can learn from their stories.”

“This global recognition propels us all at Sona Yukti to continue with renewed zeal its mission to empower the Indian youth with required skills to gain a head start in life. Sona Yukti aspires to help train a million people, both men and women, and put them on a path to economic independence”, says Chockalingam Valliappa, CEO of Sona Yukti.

As an accredited partner of the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) Sona Yukti aspires to train a million people in 10 years by establishing a chain of skill development centers in every Indian state.

Sona Yukti was established to deliver much needed learning and skills development to improve business productivity while enhancing youth employability and entrepreneurship.