Role of Catholic Church in Skills Training of Youth in Karbi Anglong District of Assam

Abstract

Northeast India witnessed significant changes in the latter part of the 19th Century with the arrival of the Catholic Missionaries to this region. The primary focus of these missionaries was that of evangelization and education of the people of this place. However, their services were not confined only to providing formal education to the people but also empowering them through skill-building, personality development and career training through their non-formal, technical, and skills training institutions. The holistic education provided by the missionaries thus brought in a new perspective and understanding to the people of this region. Northeast thus far considered backward became a region with great prospects and potential for growth and development. The skills provided by the missionaries empowered and equipped the youth and made them fit for various jobs in society. Moreover, it enabled them to discover for themselves their identity, competence, and skills in the administration and governance of their lives. Perhaps the story of Northeast would have been quite different today, had it not been for the missionaries who played a pivotal role in its transformation. The following article reflects the role played by the Catholic Church in providing skills training to the youth of Karbi Anglong district of Assam. A survey conducted among both the beneficiaries and others through Google Form has shown clearly the unique role played by the Catholic Church in providing skills training to the youth of this district. Certainly, this study is an attempt to understand and assess what has been accomplished in this field so far and at the same time, it’s also a wake-up call to decisionmakers and policy framers to study the gap in this field and do the needful to create jobs and opportunities to provide a better future to the youth of this district.