Name : Dumuni Tudu
Domain : Food and Beverage - Steward
Employer :Hotel Golden Palace, Puri
Designation :Steward
Even in this era which is equipped with so-called advanced and most sophisticated technology the girl child is seen as a curse in some parts of India. The fate of a 23-year-old Ms. Dumuni Tudu is just like that who was born in one of the villages of Myurbhanj district of Odisha, where the native considers girl child as an object, meant to marry, give birth and take care of the family. Fortunately, Ms. Tudu’s parents had a different perspective and she is an epitome of ‘break-the-chain’ trend.
Going against all odds, Ms.Tudu managed to study at least till class 10. It is a great achievement where none of her village friends know to read or write. However, she had to drop out of school due to financial crunch. The Society which considers girls are born for marriage, one day a member from that society praised for her success to the staff members of Don Bosco Tech Society, Thakurmunda. Hearing from him, like a rescue team, soon visited Tudu’s home. On arrival, the team had a long and short discussion about Dumuni’s education and future scope with Don Bosco Tech. Having counseled the family members, the staff invited the entire family to witness the center.
Ms. Tudu, along with her parents, visited the center, which was like a dream come true. It was a kind of mobilization cum counseling session, already over in her house. The trainers straight away enrolled her for the Food and Beverages Service Steward (F&B) domain for the training. During the training, she gave her undivided attention to master the skills taught in the class. Initially, due to her introverted nature, she was a bit hesitant to speak and interact freely with her friends. However, classes on ‘Life Skills’ a boon for her which helped her come out of self. She began to see things from a different perspective. The organization has a unique age-old pedagogy for these youngsters, which probably helped Tudu gradually become sober, friendly, open, and jolly.
During the training period, she was very regular and never missed even a single session. She was honest at the same time diligent and determined to reach her goal. She prioritized learning more than everything else,” said Mr. Jagadish Prasad Swain (Trainer, F&B).
Finally, a 90-day-class based training came to an end when she sat for the interview with the Hotel Golden Palace, Puri. She bore dazzling and charming nature which perhaps was the pick-up point for the HR with a negotiable salary of Rs.7,500/- per month.
The happiness knew no bounds when she had to migrate to the Puri city for her dream job soon after the training. She is the first woman earner of her village and of course the family. It is a lesson for her society that considers girls are a curse and an apt example for the girls like her to dare to dream big and to come out of the vicious circle of dark society.
She is building a pucca house and educating her siblings with the salary she earns.