Empowering Women Through Solar Innovation: A Modern-Day Miracle in Uttar Pradesh's Shravasti

The historic town of Shravasti, located in the heart of Uttar Pradesh, is a vital Buddhist pilgrimage centre in India. It is believed that Gautam Buddha spent approximately 25 transformative years of his life here. And now, thousands of years later, the natural power of the sun is being harnessed to empower hundreds of women in what could be considered a modern-day miracle. Over the last three years, the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), and Usha have come together for Mission Swavalamban - an initiative to provide micro-enterprise opportunities to marginalised women through the Usha Swavalamban Silai School Program.

Usha, SIDBI, Tata Power Renewable Microgrid Limited and Tata Power Community Development Trust have joined hands to set up five training cum production centers. The centers run on solar energy, resulting in a significant increase in the productivity of the women.

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Manju, a social worker, played a pivotal role in persuading 25 women, who were previously confined to their homes, to join the Usha Silai Centre in Shravasti district. With the introduction of solar-powered sewing machines, these women experienced a revolutionary change in their craft. Manju, an entrepreneur at Usha Silai School, expressed her astonishment, stating,

We had never seen electric machines before. I marveled at what these machines can do. I learned a lot about these machines. There's a huge difference between these (electric) machines and the machines we used earlier. We had to operate the manual machines by hand, and it would take a whole day to make one blouse, but now using the electric machine, we can make five in a day. We can make up to 10 petticoats on these machines whereas earlier, we could only stitch two in a day.

She elaborated,

Earlier, we had to sit under the shade of a tree or courtyard to sew, enduring the scorching heat. Now, with solar lights, there are no obstacles. We can work anytime without any difficulty. Our monthly income is Rs. 10,000, and sometimes more if we get extra orders. But we can make at least Rs. 10,000 every month.

SS Acharya, Chief General Manager, SIDBI said,

We also realised that possibly, there is a scope where we can slightly reduce the drudgery of women when they are operating a machine by hand or foot. We thought why not empower them with automated machines? Why not harness renewable energy like solar energy and set up centers where possibly, a large number of women, say 25 at one center, can be trained as master trainers and we can overcome the issue of electricity in rural areas and those women can further train other women.

Initially, in a pilot phase, five such centres have been started, where 125 master trainers will be trained, who are expected to create a ripple effect on the ground by training and empowering more women.

The collaboration between Usha and TATA Power which began in October 2022 has been a beacon of hope for rural communities. Sharing the success of the pilot project, Manoj Kumar Gupta, CEO, TP Renewable Microgrid Limited said,

We have installed microgrids in almost 200 villages, which provide solar electricity to the people. Through a special initiative, a pilot project was done with Usha in two states, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. And on October 1, 2022, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and that pilot was very successful.

The solar-powered machines, provided through Tata Power's Renewable Microgrids, have not only increased the efficiency of the Usha Silai Centres but have also alleviated the challenges faced by the women.

Tata Power's commitment to sustainable practices has manifested through what they proudly call the world's largest sustainability program for renewable energy in rural areas.

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Solar microgrids help rural communities and businesses in India by providing reliable and clean energy and contributing to the empowerment of women in remote areas, catalysing rural India's transformation.

Highlighting the broader impact of the collaboration between SIDBI, Usha and Tata Power, Sivasubramanian Ramann, Chairman and Managing Director, SIDBI said,

You have solar power coming and powering these slightly high-end machines because you need those high-end machines to create that kind of output. I think it's been a win-win all across that you are making the production entirely green, so you are using solar power, you are helping the women to achieve much larger orders which they can do because of the high-end machines and SIDBI is happy to finance those machines. When I was in Kupwara in Jammu and Kashmir, the Army was so grateful that we could provide 'Rakshabandhan' gifts which included clothes stitched in different ways and flags, which were sent to the jawans at the border. This is the way we are creating some impact somewhere.

Usha Silai Schools are not only helping women earn a sustainable livelihood but also contributing to the environment through recycling, upcycling, and using solar power to run the machines. This promotes the idea of responsible fashion and the use of locally sourced materials while reducing the impact on the environment.

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