Based in Kasaragod, Kerala, Bellikoth Institute of Rural Entrepreneurship Development (BIRED) is the result of collaboration between GMRVF and Andhra Bank Rural Development Trust. BIRED is a residential facility which provides employment/ entrepreneurship oriented skill training to dropout youth.

The main objective of BIRED is to identify, orient, motivate, train and assist the rural youth to take self-employment venture as an alternative career. The institute also provides counseling and project consultancy.

BIRED runs a range of vocational programs including: DTP & Graphic designing, Two and Three wheeler mechanism, Electrical Wiring and Home Appliances Repairing, Gents' Beautician Course, Dress making & fashion designing as well as several innovative programs. Information about the courses is publicized through local newspapers. The selection is done mainly through an aptitude test and interview. While selecting trainees, priority is given to the economically and socially most disadvantaged.

The trainees are mostly educated (minimum Std. VIII) unemployed youth in the age group of 18-35 years, from Kannur and Kozhikod districts. The institute has candidates coming from some villages in Karnataka as well.

The selected candidates are provided free training, boarding and lodging. Training is conducted by experienced faculties. Apart from the technical inputs, students are also given training on soft skills, yoga and meditation, for their overall development.

BIRED facilitates loans for desirous candidates so that they are able to set up their own enterprises. The institute works in coordination with other agencies influencing the setting up of self-employment ventures viz. Banks, government department, etc. Follow-up of trainees is done through regular correspondence, individual contacts, and meetings at village, Taluk and District levels. Such interaction helps the trainees to overcome procedural hurdles and ground their projects, besides sustaining their motivation level. The trainees are also provided skill up-gradation programmes as and when required.

Highlights

• Based on local needs, BIRED designs various training programs that develop entrepreneurial competencies, technical know-how and skill.
• Certain special programs like Aluminum Fabrication and Glass etching, Graphic Designing, Medicinal Plant Cultivation and Scientific Dairying etc. have been developed at BIRED.
• So far, the institute has trained 5512 youth (1339 male and 4173 female) of whom 4520 (1230 male and 3290 female) are settled.

Case Study

A Solution to Sakhariya’s Problems
Sakhariya.K belongs to a lower middle class family from Kasaragod District, Kerala. After completing Std. X, he was working hard to meet the both ends with a meager income of Rs.2000 per month. He came to know about the General Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP) at BIRED. The General EDP Programme is a mini management programme conducted by BIRED and includes the concepts of marketing, financing and accounting and human resources. After the programme, BIRED facilitated a loan worth Rs. 6 lakh to Sakhariya for starting his enterprise named Al-Raza IT Solutions. His firm is engaged in SMS Advertising, Website Development, Software Solutions and Gulf SMS Advertising. Presently he earns an income of Rs.6 Lakhs per annum. He has employed 6 people at his firm and hopes to shortly start a branch in UAE.