- Home/
- From Village Struggles To Lakme Fashion Week Stardom: Sunita's Inspiring Journey
From Village Struggles To Lakme Fashion Week Stardom: Sunita's Inspiring Journey
Team NDTV | Updated: December 26, 2024 15:56 IST
Sunita lived in a small village in Jaipur district, Rajasthan, where opportunities were hard to come by. She and her husband struggled to make ends meet, with no steady work to support their family. Despite these challenges, Sunita was determined to change her circumstances and give her children a better future.
Taking a bold step, Sunita decided to move to Bagru, a nearby town. There, she found work on a farm, but she knew her potential went beyond agriculture. Sunita was a skilled seamstress and started stitching garments for women in her village, taking small orders to earn extra money. However, the income was minimal, and competing in the local market was difficult. She realized she needed to upgrade her skills to succeed. That's when she heard about the USHA Silai School program.
A Decade of Transformation: Saroj Namdev's Story Of Sewing Dreams
In 2016, USHA launched a Silai School in her region to train women in stitching and empower them with better skills. Sunita eagerly enrolled and attended a seven-day residential training program. This training transformed her life. She became a certified Silai School teacher and returned to her community to share her skills with other women.
Sunita said,
Earlier, I earned just ₹10. My children had to study in a government school because we couldn't afford better education. As the eldest daughter-in-law, I was responsible for my in-laws, and my husband's income was not enough to run the household. So, I started stitching clothes for villagers and even took online orders. At first, I doubted if anyone would come to me, but I didn't stop. Today, I've taught around 400 women, helping them become self-reliant.
Recognizing her talent, USHA invited Sunita to be part of the USHA Silai Label, which debuted at Lakmé Fashion Week in 2018. After an assessment, she received advanced training in Kaladera. Her skills improved rapidly, and she began stitching garments for the prestigious fashion event. For the first time, Sunita walked the ramp alongside renowned designers, showcasing her creations.
Sunita said,
The clothes we stitched were worn by people at Lakmé Fashion Week in Mumbai. I never imagined we'd go there, let alone walk the ramp. Coming from the fields to such a big platform was a dream come true. Today I am earning around Rs 70,000, tailoring has helped fulfil every dream.
Sunita's family and community were overjoyed by her achievement. Her success inspired many, and her reputation grew. She began receiving larger orders, including consistent work from USHA. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, she found opportunities, stitching masks and earning ₹2 lakhs during the crisis.
Sunita has created employment opportunities for other women in Bagru, empowering her community.USHA has indeed paved a way for growth not just for Sunita but also her community in Bagru.
Empowerment In Every Stitch: Sobiyamaris Road To Success
Mohan Lal, Regional Manager, North, USHA Social Services said,
USHA's brand name gives women like Sunita credibility to get orders. We refine their skills and make leaders from within their communities, helping them grow socially, politically, and economically.
Kamal Kishore, Secretary, Jan Kalyan Sahitya Manch Samiti said,
We run 450 Silai Schools in partnership with USHA, skilling 1.5 lakh women since 2013. These skills translate into employment opportunities, improving lives and ensuring the wellbeing of families.
From a small village in Rajasthan to the ramp at Lakmé Fashion Week, Sunita's journey is one of perseverance, skill, and empowerment. With USHA's support, she has transformed her life and is uplifting others in her community.
Published: December 26, 2024 15:51 IST
Team NDTV | Thursday December 26, 2024From earning ₹10 a day to walking the ramp at Lakm Fashion Week, Sunitas story is a powerful tale of determination, skill, and community empowerment through USHA Silai School
- Team NDTV | Thursday December 26, 2024
Sobiyamari overcame adversity, built a thriving business with USHA Silai School, and empowered women in her village
- Team NDTV | Thursday December 26, 2024
Usha Silai Schools mark a decade of empowering women like Saroj Namdev, who transformed her life through sewing, trained 250+ women, and built a thriving business, inspiring change and self-reliance
- Team NDTV | Wednesday April 24, 2024
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
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.