Stitches Of Healing: How Usha Silai School Turns Trauma Into Triumph Across India's Hills
In Nagaland's misty hills, Assam's remote forests, and Telangana's villages, women like Sukla Dey, Rabina Rabha, and Chukka Madhavi transform abuse, widowhood, and poverty into purpose through Usha Silai School
In Nagaland's misty hills, Sukla Dey transformed years of family abuse and suicidal despair into unyielding strength through Usha Silai School. Starting with one machine in 2018, she stitched garments that declared her survival, reducing mental stress by immersing in constant preparation and training.
In Assam's remote Kokrajhar forests, widow Rabina Bala Rabha endured poverty, stigma, and isolation after losing her husband, worrying endlessly over her son's future. Usha Silai School training rewove her sorrow into purpose, with each stitch quieting her mind and embracing the machine as her lifeline.
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.
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.
Written by Team NDTV | Wednesday December 10, 2025USHA Silai School is empowering women across India by turning sewing skills into leadership and income. Women like Lalita, Yashira, and Pushpakala have become mentors, reviving traditions and building stronger communities. Their stories show how one skill can weave a brighter future.
- Written by Team NDTV | Wednesday December 10, 2025
From homemaker to celebrated teacher, Lakhi Debnath transformed her life via Usha Silai School, funding her daughters' education and buying land through tailoring
- Written by Team NDTV | Tuesday December 09, 2025
In Takkar Birpur village, Jammu and Kashmir, Kanta Devi escaped domestic violence and poverty through the Usha Silai School's tailoring training. Earning ₹10,00020,000 monthly, she now teaches women in border areas while inspiring her daughter Tanya to dream of a bourtique
- Written by Team NDTV | Tuesday December 09, 2025
The USHA Silai School Program empowers women across India by teaching sewing skills, enabling them to earn an income, achieve financial independence, and build better futures for themselves and their families.
- Team NDTV | Saturday March 22, 2025
The USHA Silai School Program empowers women across India with sewing skills, transforming them into trainers and fostering community growth and independence
- Team NDTV | Thursday March 13, 2025
Celebrating women entrepreneurs and their handmade crafts, empowering communities through creativity at the 5th Meghalaya Aajivika Saras Mela
