Mir Shabir
In the remote border villages of Jammu and Kashmir, like those in Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipora, systemic neglect has long stifled progress. Nestled along the Line of Control (LoC) in rugged terrains like the Shamshabari range, these 300+ villages, with populations of 500–5,000 (Census 2011), face poor infrastructure, limited connectivity, and scarce jobs. Youth in places like Keran (Kupwara) and Gurez (Bandipora) have trained in trades like plumbing, carpentry, masonry, and wood carving through programs like PMKVY and DDU-GKY. Yet, without tools, market access, or entrepreneurial support, many migrate to cities like Srinagar, work for low wages under contractors, or abandon their skills, leaving villages without essential services.
Project Jazba, a TYCIA Foundation initiative backed by SIDBI, the Indian Army, and local administration, is changing this narrative. Surveys in villages like Tangdhar (pop. ~7,000) and Dawar (pop. ~4,000) highlighted a dire need for reliable skilled services. In Keran, families waited weeks for plumbing fixes due to absent tools. In Gurez, unrepaired school windows lingered for months. Youth like Irfan, a 24-year-old mason from Tangdhar, earned just ₹200–300 daily under contractors, unable to afford tools for independence.
Jazba’s solution was simple yet transformative: provide professional toolkits to turn skilled workers into entrepreneurs. In 2023, over 100 youth in Kupwara and Bandipora received tailored tools—plumbers got pipe cutters, carpenters got power saws, masons got trowels. Shabir Ahmad, a 28-year-old plumber from Zurhama (Kupwara), used his ₹15,000 toolkit to complete jobs in hours, earning ₹500–1,000 per service. In Tulail (Bandipora), carpenter Farooq Lone secured school repair contracts, boosting his income from ₹6,000 to ₹25,000 monthly.
The results are striking. In Tangdhar, plumbing fixes now take a day, not a week. In Gurez, mason Gulzar Ahmad rebuilt a community center wall in three days. Schools and offices now hire local entrepreneurs, reducing reliance on external contractors. Earnings have soared from ₹4,000–6,000 to ₹20,000–35,000 monthly, with some like Shabir hitting ₹40,000 in peak seasons.
This shift goes beyond income. Skilled workers are now entrepreneurs, reshaping their identities. In Keran, 15 youth formed a cooperative to bid for bigger contracts. Inspired by demand, they’re building a “One Stop for Services in Kashmir” online portal, set for a 2026 launch, to connect Kupwara (pop. ~8.7 lakh) and Bandipora (pop. ~3.9 lakh) households with skilled professionals. This model could inspire regions like Poonch and Rajouri. By providing tools and market access, Project Jazba is turning Kashmir’s border villages into hubs of innovation, proving that skills, backed by systems, breed success.
