Kushalta Ke Kadam
Kushalta Ke Kadam
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Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

Madhya Pradesh's Kanha Tiger Reserve which is one of the most popular national parks is home to numerous tribal communities and villages. Livelihood of majority of the residents depends on the forest resources. There are not too many alternative sources of income available. To overcome this problem, The Corbett Foundation (TCF) tied up with the USHA International Limited to create employment opportunities for women.

Phuliya Bai and Rekha Rahangdale joined the Usha Silai programme and soon they turned entrepreneurs and started their own training schools to teach stitching to other women.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

Phuliya Bai, belongs to a tribal community in Kanha and was struggling to meet her family's basic needs due to limited source of income. This was until she joined the Usha Silai School and that changed the course of her life for better.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

After her own training Phuliya started her own school with only one sewing machine. Now she has expanded her business and earns ?3000 per month (approximately).

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

It is not just her own life that was transformed, Phuliya is a source of inspiration for others too. Manisha, a student at Phuliya's sewing school, having observed how Phuliya empowered herself through sewing, wants to start her own taining school some day.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

Never having a house of their own, Phuliya and her husband have now been able to build a house with her earnings from the silai school.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

Like Phuliya, Rekha's livelihood depended solely on Kanha's forest resources. Mother of two children, the income of the family came from farming and hunting activities.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

After completing the Usha Silai School training program, Rekha received a course book, a signage and a sewing machine to help her open her own school in her village. Since, she also had a machine of her own; Rekha was able to teach 5-6 women in one class.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

Soon, Rekha began to earn ?1500 on a monthly basis and is now saving to open her own garment shop some day.

Two Women From Kanha Forest In Madhya Pradesh Learn Stitching To Create Extra Avenues Of Income

Now, Rekha is living a content life with a sustainable source of income and in the process has earned the respect of others in 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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