Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur native, Godavari, has been associated with USHA Silai school for the last three years. The training she received there has helped her develop a skill which completely changed her life. A large part of that training was delivered through the USHA Silai app, downloaded on her phone at the Silai school. Though she was new to the app, Ms. Godavari was quick to figure it out and then use it to her advantage. She said,
The best feature of the app is that I can view videos on the app and then cut cloth as per instructions. It tells you everything, how to make the paper cuttings, then how to place the cloth properly and then cut it. The app helps me a lot in stitching. I first see the videos on the app and then work as per the demonstration.
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The USHA Silai app is very informative for someone who's still learning how to sew and it's easy to use too. The videos explain concepts, processes & techniques with instructions & language that are easy to understand. Speaking about the functionality of the app, Ms. Godavari said,
The app teaches how to repair the machine, how to cut the cloth for different clothes and so on. So, we follow the instructions. And, if the machine gets jammed, we know how to open it, clean it, put oil in it, and then start running it again. The app also gives information about our specific machines – their names and the different parts.
The application is not just for women being trained by the USHA Silai schools.. Anyone can download the app on their smartphone and sharpen their sewing and stitching skills.
USHA social services Vice-President, Rupa Tete said,
The app has content on various aspects of sewing like general sewing theory, machine servicing, garments for women, children, men and also accessories. The app is available on google and apple app store and the content can be accessed in 12 languages, absolutely free of cost.
The Silai app has truly been beneficial for women like Ms. Godavari, but its impact goes far beyond, as she is now also helping other women learn those same skills. She said,
I have had the USHA Silai app downloaded on the phones of 10-15 people. Not all the girls who come to learn have big mobiles. Most of them have basic phones. The ones who have smartphones, I download the USHA Silai app for them.
Like Ms. Godavari, the USHA Silai app has helped several people across India with sewing techniques.
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By the end of 2022, for every Rs. 100 invested in the training of women, the Usha Silai School generated an average of Rs. 8,300, reported IIT-Delhi study
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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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Besides training other women from their community, many Usha Silai School learners have become entrepreneurs in their own right.
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