From Despair To Dreams: How Kanta Devi Stitched A Brighter Future For Her Family

New Delhi: In the small village of Takkar Birpur, in the Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, a quiet revolution is weaving its way through homes and hearts. It begins at the Usha Silai School, a grassroots program teaching women the art of tailoring—not just as a skill, but as a lifeline to dignity and independence. Here, women like Kanta Devi find more than just stitches; they find hope. Kanta's journey toward empowerment was anything but easy. Recalling the diifucult years she faced in marriage, Kanta said,

The struggles I faced after marriage were things I had never seen before I was unmarried.

Battling financial hardship, domestic violence, and isolation, Kanta's life seemed confined by silence. When her husband's drinking worsened and financial support vanished, she made the courageous choice to leave her in-laws' home and return to her parents. For two years, she was unemployed and watching her children's needs outgrow the family's means. But joining the Usha Silai School in 2020 changed everything. In just nine days, Kanta learned tailoring skills that unlocked new doors. She began teaching other women from her brother's home - where she had sought refuge - and soon became a Local Resource Person, training women even in border villages. With steady work and orders coming in, her monthly earnings of ₹10,000 to ₹20,000 transformed her family's future. Kanta's daughter Tanya saw her mother's relentless spirit firsthand. She said, 

My mother has faced many struggles, worked day and night, and has brought us to where we are today.

Despite high school expenses and daily struggles, Kanta's hard work ensured her children never lacked what they needed. Tanya's words echo the pride and hope carried across generations:

I thank my mother very much... I can never forget all that she has done for me.

Inspired by her mother, Tanya dreams of a future intertwined with tailoring and design. "When I saw my mother struggle so much, I felt that this work was good,” she shared. Together, they envision opening a boutique in their village - an embodiment of growth born from resilience. The Usha Silai School is much more than a teaching center; it's a catalyst for transformation. Kanta summed it up simply,

My daughter has witnessed everything I have been through in my life. Now she tells me, Mom, don't rely on anyone anymore. You have learned sewing, and I will become a designer."

This reflects how skills passed down foster independence and aspiration, stitching tightly the bonds between mother and child. Program Manager Shayista Ayoub said,

Every woman faces different struggles, but here, children and mothers support each other to fulfil their dreams.

Through programs like Usha Silai School, families like Kanta's are reshaping futures - thread by thread, stitch by stitch - turning hardship into hope and dreams into reality.