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- From Struggling For One's Own Survival To Sustaining A Family Of Three, Here Is How Ayesha From Kolkata Did It
From Struggling For One's Own Survival To Sustaining A Family Of Three, Here Is How Ayesha From Kolkata Did It
Delhi: To sustain oneself, everyone depends on someone, if not financially then emotionally. It takes grit to face life alone and wage its battles single handedly. 35-year-old Ayesha Mondal from Kirontankhola village in Kolkata, is one such exceptional woman.
Ayesha is the youngest among her 11 siblings and unmarried. Hers was a happy family till fate struck a cruel blow taking away both her parents. After the demise of her parents, Ayesha was left alone as her siblings either got married or moved out of their village in search of work.
The struggle was not to live alone, but to earn for one's own survival. In order to sustain her livelihood, Ayesha enrolled herself for a nursing course which further led her to work at a private hospital in Kolkata itself. But poor earning from the job didn't help. To sustain herself Ayesha had to take up extra work outside the hospital.
The problems in Ayesha's life didn't cease. Soon, Ayesha's eldest sister along with her daughter abandoned their home and started living with Ayesha. Now, for Ayesha, the challenge intesifiedas she became the sole bread earner.
In the year 2012, Ayesha started looking for other options and it is then that she decided to join USHA Silai School. She went through training and ended up opening her own Silai School by 2014. From having knowledge of basic stitching to learning latest fashion trends like making palazzo, and other styles of clothing like kurta blouse, chudidaar blouse, shorts, and many more, Ayesha learned everything at Silai School.
Today, she earns Rs. 8,000 a month and after finishing her household chores, she runs her own Silai School where she is currently teaching a class of 10 women. Till today, she has trained 35 women. In addition to this, she does job work also.
Ayesha's talent and dedication helped her become a part of 32 USHA Silai School women who produced a clothing line for a fashion label which was launched at Lakme Fashion Week 2018. It was a huge leap for Ayesha, from a small village in West Bengal to the huge stage of fashion week. It is like a dream come true.
Having defied all the obstacles, and beaming with confidence now, Ayesha dreams of expanding her silai classes by opening up numerous branches. She also aims at expanding her tailoring shop by honing her skills.
Also Read: From Having No Steady Source Of Income To Earning Rs. 45,000 A Month, Here Is How A. Metildamary Changed Her Life
Published: March 28, 2018 18:42 IST
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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.
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.
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.
Usha Silai School, located in the Gujarat's Bhuj village, is enabling rural women to earn as much as Rs. 2,500-4,000 each month.
Usha Silai School, in association with a Gujarat based NGO called Kala Raksha, is trying to bring about a Silai revolution in Bhuj.
Besides training other women from their community, many Usha Silai School learners have become entrepreneurs in their own right.
With sewing becoming easily accessible and lucrative, the silai schools are also helping revive traditional motifs and designs.
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