Stitching Possibilities, Unstitching Barriers: Usha Silai School Addressing Social Issues
Usha Silai Schools empower Bedia women in Madhya Pradesh, child marriage survivors in Bihar, and homemakers in Puducherry - from stigma to ?10K earnings, family support, and ending cycles of poverty
In Ashok Nagar's Parasari Subaju village, Madhya Pradesh, women from the Bedia community gather at the Usha Silai School Training Cum Production Centre, launched with the Apparel, Made-Ups & Home Furnishing Sector Skill Council. Amid machines humming and thread weaving, learners like Kalpana overcome historical stigma and exploitation, mastering stitching basics after 15 days-transforming from not knowing how to thread a needle to operating both electric and treadle machines, forging paths to dignified livelihoods and self-respect.
Poorvi, a Usha Silai School learner in Ashok Nagar, Madhya Pradesh, focuses intently on crafting a garment, her expression reflecting newfound belief in her potential. Breaking cycles of poverty and harmful customs in the Bedia community, she dreams of educating her children while earning through skills that provide 'izzat ki roti'-a dignified living-thanks to patient trainers and community engagement that shifts family attitudes toward women's decisions and contributions.
In Bihar's Kishanganj, young survivors of child marriage like Shabnam Parveen stitch salwar suits at a Usha Silai School run with Jan Nirman Kendra, funding her BA studies and computer classes with monthly earnings. Challenging patriarchal norms through the "Guru-Shishya Parampara" scheme, she and her sisters vow to expand their work, ensuring no early marriages derail futures, as counseling and market linkages turn homes into empowering classrooms.
Sahista Begum and Bineeta Roy practice precise measurements and machine maintenance at a Kishanganj training session in Bihar, evolving from informal bazaar stitching to formal skills via Usha's 15-day program with Jan Nirman Kendra. Rescued from child marriages at ages like 15, they now aim to open village schools, teaching others while rebuilding lives-overcoming family struggles and societal pressures to claim agency and prevent similar fates for their daughters.
In Puducherry's Ezhil Nagar North, 40-year-old Praveenamary instructs a group of six trainees at her Basilica training centre, demonstrating Aari work and patchwork on Usha Silai machines. From homemaker to entrepreneur earning ?10,000 monthly after nine-day residential training, her upcycled saree designs and professional promotion highlight how family involvement-her husband's logistical support and community role-modeling-amplifies women's success in breaking barriers.
Praveenamary and trainee Savita collaborate on a blouse pattern in Puducherry's cozy Basilica centre, embodying Usha Silai School's life-skills module that builds confidence and ecosystems. Having trained 41 women, Praveenamary stands as family backbone and community inspiration, with her husband's painting and repair guidance symbolising how male support fosters autonomy-proving stitching not only creates garments but unstitches societal constraints for broader transformation.
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.
Team NDTV | Wednesday January 07, 2026From Madhya Pradesh's stigma to Bihar's child marriages, Usha Silai School's NDTV-backed Kushalta Ke Kadam empowers women like Kalpana and Shabnam to stitch dignity and self-reliance
- Written by Team NDTV | Friday January 02, 2026
Usha Silai Schools give second chances to women like Srinagar's Marifat, who rebuilt after widowhood; Madhya Pradesh's Jyoti, escaping abuse to run her own center; and Rajasthan's Vimla, rising from child marriage to tailor and teacher. Through nine-day training, they gain sewing skills, confidence, and income proving one stitch mends lives and inspires communities.
- Team NDTV | Friday December 26, 2025
A new wave of corporate-community partnerships is equipping rural women with skills, income and confidence
- Written by Team NDTV | Friday December 12, 2025
USHAs Silai School Programme empowers women across India by turning sewing into independence. Women become trainers and leaders, transforming their lives and communities through skills, confidence, and income
- Written by Team NDTV | Thursday December 11, 2025
USHA 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
