21-year-old Amit Mane came to Mumbai with a small bag of clothes, a certificate confirming that he had cleared 12th standard from a junior college in Sangli, a small district in the Indian state of Maharashtra, and a desperate need for a job. His father, the only breadwinner in the family, met with an accident when Amit was in the 10th standard. He was paralysed waist downwards and Amit became the young breadwinner for the family of five. He worked in the fields earning INR 378 per day in the mornings, and cycled 14 kms to reach college in the afternoons.

Amit didn’t want to move to Mumbai at first. He was scared of the unknown challenges that lay beyond his village. But he couldn’t get any work in Sangli. The thought of his parents’ medical expenses, and younger brother’s education drove him to re-examine his hesitation to move to Mumbai. Pushed by poverty and lack of job opportunities in his area, Amit moved to Mumbai, a place he found ‘frighteningly busy’. He started living with his cousin and her family in the city’s suburbs.

His relative told him about the Magic Bus Livelihood programme that assured quality training and placements. "Till the time I stepped into the Centre, I had absolutely no idea about the retail sector or the job opportunities there," he admits. What surprised him more was that the programme he would be part of will end in a definite placement opportunity with the largest 24-hours medical store, Wellness Forever. "It was nothing like school or junior college where you learn but there is no guarantee which of the lessons would help you find a good job. Here there was an opportunity waiting for us. And the training would prepare us for the same," explains Amit.

Amit made the most of the training although he hit roadblocks in spoken English. Lessons on communication and personal development helped him in interviews although he admits to be ‘scared’ during Taster Day, the first interaction with prospective employers. "I definitely thought they would reject me and I have to go back to Sangli empty-handed," he admits. Instead they gave him feedback on how to improve on areas he lagged.

From that day to now, as Junior Customer Associate Services at Wellness’ Forever’s outlet in Bandra, Amit has started dreaming. "My only wish is to retire my father who is now looking to go back to work to feed the family," he says. Kumar Gaurav, Manager – HR of Amit’s company says, "Amit has shown excellent performance in customer services. His ability to handle challenging issues and the quality of work is admirable."

While Amit admits that his earnings, INR 12,925 a month, is higher than what he made by working in the fields, he is driven to do better and earn more. "I want to be patient and not leave my job soon. I see I can grow in this company and I want to give it my best shot," he reaffirms.