In Jammu And Kashmir's Shopian, Usha Swavalamban Silai School Is Helping Women Stitch Resilience, Hope And Independence

In the heart of the Indian subcontinent lies a jewel, cradled by towering mountains and caressed by whispering winds – Jammu and Kashmir. This land, with its pristine lakes and snow-capped peaks, is a tapestry of beauty woven by nature herself. Nestled amidst the picturesque landscapes, lies the apple town of Kashmir - Shopian. The Usha Swavalamban Silai School, a programme that empowers rural women, defying geographies and transcending distances, has ventured into this breathtaking region in partnership with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and NGO ELFA International.

The goal of the partnership is to provide women with a sewing-based opportunity to earn a sustainable livelihood. The Swavalamban Silai School Teacher's Training for 10 days in Shopian aims to help women emerge as role models for their community. One of them is Tahira, who has found a way to combine her interest with a livelihood option that offers her financial independence.

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Excited about learning to design clothes, Tahira Jan, a Trainee at the Usha Silai School in Jammu and Kashmir said,

The first day we were taught how to fix and operate the machine. The second day we were taught how to cut fabric for a frock. I learned how to cut a frock and sewed it too.

Tahira also learned to stitch Phiran, a traditional winter outfit from Jammu and Kashmir and is elated to sew one for herself.

The Usha Swavalamban Silai School in Shopian is breaking barriers for more than one reason. Shabnam Aziz is one such reason. Shabnam's hands are weaving a story of determination that transforms not just fabric, but also perceptions. Shabnam is rising above her disability by stitching a future of financial independence for herself.

A trainee at the Usha Silai School in Jammu and Kashmir, Shabnam urged people with disabilities to sign up for the Usha Silai School training program. She added,

I have got a lot of support from Usha and other people with disabilities will too benefit if they come here to learn.

Shabnam's disability made it difficult for her to access feet operated sewing machine. She raised the issue to her trainers, who then gave her a hand wheel.

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Many parts of the Shopian district are overshadowed by their remoteness, and women here find themselves navigating a landscape where opportunities are scarce, and the journey to empowerment is a formidable trek. The USHA Swavalamban Silai School established here at the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Shopian is a testament to Usha's unwavering resolve to bridge the gap, providing skill, opportunity, and hope in places where the echoes of progress are often faint.

Gazalla Hamid, a Trainee at the Usha Silai School in Jammu and Kashmir is thankful to Usha and SIDBI for bringing the learning and development platform to South Kashmir.

SIDBI and Usha have been working together for the last three years to reach out to India's underdeveloped and aspirational districts. They have been giving marginalised women a chance to start their micro business through Usha Swavalamban Silai Schools, which are located in 68 districts across 24 states in India.

Sivasubramanian Ramann, Chairman and Managing Director, SIDBI believes that SIDBI and USHA are achieving a “synergy of interest”. He elaborated,

Usha has a huge interest in skilling women and providing them with a particular ability to increase their income. The sewing training that we are giving is about these women either starting their small business or joining some other larger entity where they can get employment.

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SS Acharya, Chief General Manager, SIDBI titled the experience of working with Usha and training over 3,000 women as “humbling”.

Shayista Ayoub, Program Coordinator, Usha Silai School, Jammu and Kashmir said,

This year, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, we have to open 50 Swavlamban Silai Schools - 25 each in the districts of Udhampur and Shopian. Here, we started the non-residential 10-day training program keeping in mind the cultural activities of Kashmir. We included Phiran, the traditional garment of Kashmir, in our training module.

This time in partnership with the NGO ELFA International, USHA and SIDBI have brought the initiative to Shopian. The women who are part of the program are starting to become leaders in their communities. Their confidence has grown as a result of the project, which has also given them the chance to make a stable living. Because of this, they have been able to forge their own identities and win the respect of their community.

Mehran Khan, CEO of ELFA International is proud to initiate a program like this, providing livelihood opportunities to women. He said,

Women will have opportunities to earn a dignified livelihood and this will certainly help their social and economic status immediately in their families and in the longer term in their societies.

In the remote expanses of Shopian, every stitch becomes a symbol of resilience, and every woman who learns to sew embodies the spirit of independence over isolation. Usha Silai School in collaboration with SIDBI, is breaking barriers and transcending distances, bringing the promise of empowerment for women to the heart of these challenging terrains.

By joining forces with government agencies, Usha Silai School has created a synergistic approach to addressing the need for vocational training in rural communities. Through such partnerships, Usha Silai School has been able to leverage government resources, infrastructure, and support to reach a wider audience of women in remote areas making them financially independent. And, the government entities have found a reliable and credible partner in Usha offering an impactful use for their resources and thereby touching the lives of thousands of women.

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