Kushalta Ke Kadam
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How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Three inspiring stories of women in Maharashtra's Dhule district who changed their own lives and lives of other women with one small step.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Pratibha Pravin Khonde, a resident of Sakri Tehsil of Dhule district in Maharashtra defied the unwritten rule of the world around her that women should stay confined to their homes and leave earning money to men.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Life came to a standstill for Pratibha when her husband, Pravin, a barber by profession, was diagnosed with a serious health condition and had to be hospitalised. The financial condition of the family was in shambles. With no money to pay for her husband's treatment and piling debt, Pratibha was left with no option but to look for work.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

She joined the Usha Silai School, a community based initiative that aims to empower village women to become entrepreneurs and teach sewing in their respective communities. More than one per cent from the sale of every Usha Sewing Machine is invested into this programme. More than 10,000 women are being trained every day under this initiative.

After a training at the Silai School, Pratibha started stitching clothes and earn a steady income. After some time she started her own school within her house. The aim was not only to make extra money but also to enable other women to earn their own livelihood. Many of Pratibha's students are now teaching other women and becoming financially independent.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Kalpana Kamadi, a resident of Maharashtra's Dhule district, was struggling to make ends meet. She was in dire need to earn money to sustain her family and this situation was further aggravated when her son was admitted to the hospital due to an illness and passed away as she and her husband could not bear the cost of his treatment.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Loss of their son, says Kalpana, made her realise the value of money. She ventured out of the confines of her home, reinvented herself by starting her own silai school, after getting trained in Usha Silai School. Today she has saved up Rs 1.5 lakhs and has a car of her own.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Chhotibai Sahebrao Chaure, 32, hails from Dali Samba village of sakri block, Dhule district of Maharashtra. She has been running her own Silai School since November 2014.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

She took sewing training of 7 days from USHA Silai School and now trains women of her village regularly.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Till date, Chhotibai has trained 28 women who would pay Rs. 500/per month for the classes.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

She stitches 7 to 8 women blouses everyday and earns arounf Rs 700 on an average from selling these.

How These Three Women Became Trendsetters In Their Villages In Maharashtra

Chhotibai now aims to increase the number of sewing machines in her class and hopes to give training to more women of her village.

Adopt a Silai School

Adopt a Silai School

Do you want to be a part of the huge change that Usha Silai School is bringing about in the lives of millions of rural women? With just a simple click of a button, you can now contribute towards the opening of an Usha Silai School or support various other aspects of the school.

About the Initiative

About the Initiative

Kushalta Ke Kadam, an initiative by USHA Silai School and NDTV has entered its eighth season. The aim is to empower more women across rural India by teaching them sewing skills and helping them open new doors of opportunities for themselves. The initiative encourages rural women to become financially independent and entrepreneurs by taking up sewing and training others in their respective communities.

 

Since 2011, the USHA Silai School initiative has trained more than 12 lakh rural women through over 33,000 Silai schools, spanning over 20,751 villages across India.

 

The women earn Rs. 4,000 – 5,000 per month on an average, with the highest recorded monthly earning being Rs. 84,000 in a month. This earning works as a catalyst towards building their self-confidence, reducing gender inequities, and raising their stature within their families and in society at large.

 

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