Unlike most girls of her tribe from rural pockets, Densiya Meri is neither a school dropout nor one who gave in to social pressures to settle in life at an early age.

This youngster from Mannaparai town in Tiruchi district holds a diploma in electrical engineering. While she is proud of her qualification, she says that her wait for the offer letter as an apprentice in a government organisation seemed never-ending forcing her to look at other options.

This was when she came to know that a private spinning mill near Palladam was looking to train rural youth, particularly those trapped in poverty.

Being the eldest in a family of three children, Densiya decided to work in the mill till she received the order from the Government. This correspondent met her last week, almost a year after she took up this assignment in the mill. "I am still waiting for the order. Am working here mainly to support my parents, who toil all day in the sun and help my sister and brother pursue studies," says this 22-year-old.

There were two other girls - Valarmathi and Valliyammal- both hailing from Pudukottai and pursuing a degree in History (through distance education).

"I want to do B.Ed and ultimately become a teacher. This income from the mill helps support my parents back home. The mill management is supportive. They have engaged tutors who help us with our lessons. But for them, most of us would have continued to suffer in silence in the small thatched one-room hut in our respective village," says Valarmathi.

A visit to some of the newer spinning units in and around Palladam and Dharapuram areas of Tamil Nadu reveals the level of modernisation in the spinning units that have come up in the last couple of years. From cotton ginning to spinning of yarn, every process is automated.

From training and providing accommodation for these rural girls to ensuring safety – both at workplace and hostel, mill managements have managed to bring about a transformation in the lives and outlook of the rural populace, says D Prabhu, Secretary, Texpreneurs Forum.

Stating that such projects help rural boys and girls build skills and connect with new job opportunities, Prabhu says that the lifestyle of these youngsters is by far a contrast to their parents.

For instance, Kalpana, 20, hailing from a village near Chidambaram says she joined the mill about 18 months back, primarily to support her mother, who is a farm labourer and help her younger sister and brother pursue studies. "Had I remained at home, I would have been married off by now," says this girl, a school drop out.

These girls earn between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 a month in addition to free food, gated accommodation, medical check-up and a host of comforts.

Do they miss home? "Our parents visit us now and then. We have nothing much to do after the 8-hour shift. We don't have to prepare food or carry pot loads of water. All we do is watch movies on television, play games and go out as a family once in a while".

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