DBS Bank India ventures into partnership with TRRAIN (Trust for Retailers & Retail Associates of India), a non-profit engaged in training and placement of youth in e-commerce & retail sectors. This partnership is expected to assist the youth from low-income households by providing them with long-term employment opportunities.

With this partnership, DBS would facilitate the skills training and employment of individuals been affected by the pandemic and persons with disabilities through a one-year-long pan-India program, a combination of classroom and online training sessions. The training would be conducted at TRRAIN centres across major cities such as Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi-NCR region, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, amongst others.

Commenting on the partnership, Shoma Narayanan, Executive Director – Group Strategic Marketing & Communications, DBS Bank India states, “DBS is committed to making meaningful contributions to society and creating a lasting impact beyond banking. We are actively engaging with initiatives to build back better in the aftermath of the pandemic. Our partnership with TRRAIN is one such initiative as it will help upskill youth as well as the differently-abled and facilitate access to job opportunities.”

The partnership with TRRAIN is fresh in a series of initiatives announced by the bank as part of the ‘DBS Stronger Together Fund’, a global SGD 10.5 million fund set up by DBS in 2020 at the onset of COVID-19 to help sections of the society across the region that were hard hit by the pandemic. Using the fund, the bank could provid about 4.5 million meals and care packs to affected individuals across Singapore, Hong Kong, China, India, Indonesia, and Taiwan. DBS also introduced the ‘Towards Zero Food Waste’ initiative in 2020 to encourage a shift in behaviours and mindsets to reduce food waste. The bank’s commitment towards zero food waste aims to build a sustainable, food-secure future and aligns with its three sustainability pillars – responsible banking, responsible business practices and creating social impact.

B S Nagesh, Founder & Settlor, TRRAIN and Ameesha Prabhu, CEO, TRRAIN says, “Trust for Retailers and Retail Associates of India is happy to join hands with DBS Bank in our efforts to create sustainable livelihoods for persons with disabilities and underprivileged individuals. With DBS Bank’s support, we will be impacting the lives of 400 persons with disabilities and 425 underprivileged young individuals by providing them with employment opportunities in retail. We look forward to an impactful and continued CSR collaboration with DBS Bank.”