Assam's Mumtaz Begum: A Shining Example Of Women Empowerment

Golaghat: One of Assam's largest districts and home to the world famous Kaziranga National Park, Golaghat is the place where local ethnic groups have struggled for years over identity, land and opportunities. Post-independence, Assam has frequently witnessed sporadic and gruesome conflicts that have led to the displacement of many in the state. In all the conflict-related displacement, often caused due to cases of abduction, rape, slavery and other forms of abuse, women and young girls have been the major casualties.

One such woman living in the interiors of the same district in Chotarajan Kathani Pathar village, is Mumtaz Begum.

Being one of the few fortunate women of Golaghat, she has never had trouble putting food on the table for her family of five. Mumtaz was living a fairly content life until 2008, the year her husband passed away.

As the years went by, Mumtaz's three children grew up and expenses became hard to manage. It was then that she had to look at other options to find a regular source of income. Being left alone to fend for herself, Mumtaz received encouragement from The Kamakhaya Jana Kalyan Trust, an NGO which primarily works in three sectors - education, health and empowerment of women, with a focus on skill development.
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As USHA Silai School shortlists women from very low-income families, they provide them with one sewing machine each and other essential raw materials which are required to start a training school of their own. As a result, these women become self-reliant and are able to earn, save and invest to secure their future.

"The Usha Silai School trainers asked me if I had ever taught anyone," she said. "They encouraged me to learn techniques and start teaching others. In 2011, I finished the course, and by word-of-mouth people found out that I had opened a training school."
 
Since then, Mumtaz has trained over 79 women in her village. Having a steady source of income, Mumtaz invested in expanding her business and stabilising her life.
 

I took loans available under government schemes. I took loans in 2011 and repaid it by 2016. I had taken 4 loans - Rs. 30,000 from Bandhan, Rs. 20,000 from HDFC Bank, Rs. 25,000 from RGBN and Rs. 25,000 from Arohan. I spent most of the loan amount on setting up the Silai training school, used some to rebuild my house and saved a little in the bank.

Her little venture showed such promising growth that she has had to employ two co-workers to help her run the training school.

"Apart from running the training school, I buy cloth in bulk and make scarves, which are regularly bought by the tea garden labourers. I get Rs. 60 for each scarf, after paying for the raw materials. I also sell petticoats" she informs about her additional source of income.

"It's a lucrative business" she said. "Even though I spend on purchasing the raw materials, I often recover the cost."

Today, Mumtaz lives a self-sufficient life and has gained the respect of many in her village. After all not many can recover from a setback and reinvent themselves like Mumtaz.

"Everyone in my village is proud of me" she said. "Since my husband passed away, I run the family with my own income. If i didn't have this skill, I would not have been able to survive."

The by-product of her hard work and passion has transformed not just her life but also lives of those women who have trained under her.

I have been teaching young girls in my school. I feel the mindsets of people are changing towards women who work.

Mumtaz wishes to see more women take up the silai training and start their own schools so that they can empower themselves and the society around them.

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