After Losing Her Father At A Very Young Age, Laboni Shouldered The Responsibility Of Her Family

Written by Aastha Ahuja , Edited by Sonia Bhaskar | Updated: April 19, 2018 18:38 IST

Delhi: 21-year-old Laboni Baidya, a resident of Katapukuria village in Kolkata took charge of her family, defied all the odds and changed the course of her life and that of her family's. Nine years ago, Laboni wasbusy enjoying her life, studying and playing with her friends, like any 12-year-old. But life came to a standstill with the sudden demise of her father. Laboni's father left her with her two elder siblings, in the care of their mother. The death of her father not only took away her childhood, but alsoput a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders. Laboni's mother being the only bread earner had to work for long-hours as a farm labour in others people's farms. Her meager earnings were insufficient to meet the basic needs of a family of four. Given the economic conditionof her family, Laboni, the youngest of them all, dropped out of schooland started taking chargeof the household chores along with her siblings.

Inclined towards sewing since childhood, Laboni's uncle helped her purchase a second hand sewing machine. Pursuing her hobby, Laboni started learning and practising sewing at home. And then she joined USHA Silai School programme in 2015.

Under USHA Silai School programme, Laboni not only honed her sewing skills, but also learned new techniques and styles. From learning about the basics of stitching garments like churidar, salwar, kurta, and patialato learning new stitching techniques and fashionable styles like different kind of blouses, hand stitching, Laboni learned it all from the professionals.

Determined to uplift her economic condition and provide a better life to her family, Laboni turned her hobby into her profession and opened her own sewing school in 2016. Since then she has trained 20 women and is currently training seven girls to stitch. Today, Laboni has a steady monthly income of Rs 5,000.

She was also shortlisted to be part of the team of 32 USHA Silai School women to work on the fashion label with professional fashion designers. This design label, launched at the Lakme Fashion Week 2018 will be sold at multiple outlets across the country.

Content in her new and improved life, Laboni plans to resume her studies andchase her dream of getting a government job. She believes this willhelp her support her family better than she currently does.

Also Read:Here Is How A Sewing Machine, Training And Sheer Perseverance Made E. Iruthayamary, Financially Independent

Published: April 19, 2018 18:23 IST

also read

Share this story on

kushalta ke kadam Kushaltakekadamfeatures stitching sewing

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

Kushalta Ke Kadam, an initiative by NDTV and USHA, aims at empowering women from rural India and encourages them to become entrepreneurs by taking up sewing and training others in their respective communities. Since 2011 Usha Silai Campaign has trained more than 3.95 lakh rural women within five years, with 17,000 Silai schools, spanning over 9272 Indian villages in India.

Kushalta Ke Kadam in Season 4 has returned with new goals and vision. The new season will witness the establishment of the new cluster in Kashmir, apart from the existing four clusters setup last year. The women from volatile Kashmir will work with well-known fashion designer Rohit Bal and get an unique opportunity to learn from him and make clothes for him. The work done by the Silai School women will be presented at Lakme Fashion week 2019.

Know More

In Pics

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

Rebari girls grow up learning traditional embroidery, which along with their new found sewing skills developed at Usha Silai Schools, is helping them earn a living.

Usha Silai School has empowered many rural women to support their family and send their children to school.

The Usha Silai School, established in a small nondescript village that goes by the name of Kottai, is helping empower people from varied communities.

The all-inclusive Usha Silai School Programme covers the entire nation from hamlets tucked between hills to villages cast by the sea.

Vegetables farmers from the Mizoram hills earn very little given the topography of the area. Usha Silai Schools have played an important part in this region by skilling women to financially contribute towards their households.

Usha Silai School learner Lucy has trained seven other women in her community, helping them to become financially independent.

Women like Kaviben from the nomadic Rebari community are finally laying down their roots as they begin to gain financial independence and thereby stability through Usha Silai School.