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

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.