USHA Silai Mobile App Enhancing Skills, Augmenting Income Of The Silai Women

The COVID-19 crisis has brought a change in way people, the global economy, business, and even social activities run. When physical movement and gatherings were restricted, it was the virtual world we all turned to. Companies accelerated digitization, and moved all their operations online, as it was the only way to save drowning economies. It was the need of the hour. And it was no different for the women of the USHA Silai Schools. With an aim to enhance the skills of the women of the Silai Schools and increase their earnings in times of pandemic, USHA International has launched a mobile App called ‘USHA Silai'. Along with enhancing skills through tutorial videos, the app also provides Silai School women with a platform to sell their products in the online market. USHA collaborated with the Confederation of Women Entrepreneurs (COWE) to conduct training among the Silai women across the country to help them learn and use the new app and work in the digital space. 

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The USHA Silai mobile App contains content on sewing machine maintenance, sewing techniques for various garments. The mobile app is available free of cost in 12 languages. The efforts towards bringing digital literacy to Silai School women has made them comfortable in using various platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, WhatsApp among others. The Silai School women have been trained on using how to use digital media, enrol on e-comm platforms, learn online payment know-hows and market their products through platforms like COWE Mart or GeM (Government e-Marketplace) portal for selling products.

The mobile App helped Mamta Tanwar from Madhya Pradesh to take charge of her future and inspire others. From being a rape survivor to becoming a businesswoman, Ms Tarwar's journey was felicitated with a special award on ‘First-time women entrepreneur' in Business Women Expo-2021 on International Women's Day. Ms Tanwar said,

My association with COWE, began through the USHA Silai school. Earlier I couldn't even remember the name. I used to tell our sir that I'm not very educated, so I don't remember anything. He told me that they will send a link for a Zoom meeting, and I should join it. So, I did that. We were trained in this manner for 2 months. The first thing I was taught was to take photographs of the clothes. At the time, I could not even talk properly, leave alone photograph the clothes. As we were being trained, I started understanding quite a lot. Earlier I used to take random photos of the clothes I made, to post them. Then ma'am said we should learn how to take good photographs. We have been taught how to use Facebook, and create our own Facebook page. Earlier I could not even take pictures properly. So, I was trained to click photographs and how to take online orders.

Bishaka Mahanta from West Bengal was also felicitated with an award and cash price of Rs. 10,000 for a successful venture in digital marketing. Ms Mahanta said,

During the lockdown I had no idea what the Coronavirus was about. When the lockdown was imposed suddenly, I had to stop my classes and stay at home. I thought about what to do next. I called around, and we all spoke with each other about what our next step should be. Right before that, one of my students had bought a sewing machine. Just as I was going to her house, to teach her how to use it, the lockdown was announced. That's when my first online class started, because we couldn't go anywhere. I taught her how to operate the machine over the phone. In the next two months, I taught her everything over the phone. After three months, I went and saw how she was doing it all by herself. This is how I opened my online school. We formed a WhatsApp group and whenever they faced any issue, I would help them via our WhatsApp group.

Savita Thakur, from Bihar, is another Silai School woman who is using the App for making her business grow. She makes video tutorials for her students and charges on the basis of the content she prepares. Ms Thakur said,

When the lockdown was announced, I had just returned from Hazaribagh where I had gone to train others. My center was shut for 3 to 4 months because I was travelling to different places, like Bhagalpur and so on. As I returned the lockdown was announced. I was worried because there were expenses on my head, like three months rent, I felt I had returned to my previous life, but the USHA company did not leave me. Some women have problems coming to the center, as their family members don't allow them to go out. Many local residents also could not come But now with online classes they are benefitting while staying at home I never thought that this could happen, and I will be giving online classes But it is all thanks to the training from USHA, that taught me how to click pictures and expand my business on WhatsApp. I started telling people that I give online classes. Not only sewing, I have also started teaching art and craft, painting and other things.

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