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USHA Silai School Offers Entrepreneurial Opportunity To 3,500 Women

USHA Silai School Offers Entrepreneurial Opportunity To 3,500 Women

In 2012, USHA launched first Silai School in West Bengal, India's fourth-most populous state and by 2017 the program's success caught the attention of the West Bengal Scheduled Caste And Tribe Development Finance Corporation, which led to the life-changing initiative for thousands of women.

Today, around 20 per cent people of West Bengal live below the poverty line, with the majority located in rural regions. Only one out of 5 women in West Bengal completes her secondary education, which is lower than most states of the country. Yet, in the rural regions of this matriarchal state, women self-employment is 22 per cent ahead of men.

To empower women and make them independent, USHA established 700 Silai Schools in the state. Later, at a business conclave, when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee got to know about the initiative, she requested the establishments of another 3,500 Silai Schools.

At Silai Schools, women undergo a three step training program for teaching them the A-Z of stitching and necessary skills to open their own Silai Schools. For the first six months, women are taught to stitch, then they are given mechanical training and finally enterprise training.

With the opening of new Silai Schools, today, as 3,500 rural women of West Bengal are on their way to becoming small enterprise owners, they share their joy.

'I am independent now. I and my husband work to provide for our family and I am happy that I can support my husband financially. I have also earned a lot of respect in the society because of my work. Usha is starting another 3,500 schools in West Bengal and I am happy to get one to run', says 27-year-old Sampa Rai, of Dhapganj village that lies 100 kms south of Siliguri.

33-year-old Geetika Roy, who lives in a small village called Amarkhana, has completed the construction of her Silai School. Apart from gaining stitching skills, Geetika has also learned to convert waste into useful things and earn extra money.

'People throw away the empty rice sacks or burn these, I buy it for Rs. 2 and make a bag from it. I sell the small bag for Rs. 10 and the bigger one for Rs. 20. After my training from USHA, I earn a lot more compared to what I was earning earlier. I want to keep learning and hope to earn even more in the future. I want to start more schools and make more profits. I have so many dreams', says Geetika.