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Sewing Dreams: Prabha's Journey Of Empowerment In Bhopal
Team NDTV | Updated: March 05, 2025 11:32 IST
From the vibrant landscapes of Tamil Nadu to the quiet village near Rajgarh in Bhopal, the USHA Silai School is changing lives, one stitch at a time. This is the inspiring story of Prabha, a woman whose path from hardship to empowerment exemplifies the profound impact of vocational training.
Prabha shares,
"Two years ago, my life was over. But since I became a sewing teacher, I feel like I have a reason to live.”
A New Dawn For Women: The Impact Of USHA Silai School In Ariyalur
Now earning between Rs. 8,000 and Rs. 10,000 a month, she finally has financial independence, allowing her to support herself and her daughter without relying on anyone else.
Prabha's journey has not been easy. Married off at the tender age of 18, she endured domestic abuse and struggled against the constraints of her community. Looking for a way out, her life took a turn when she discovered the USHA Silai School Program.
She said,
"In the village, I did some farm work, but it wasn't enough to make ends meet. One day, a woman from an organization visited our village and told me about a 9-day training program to learn sewing. I went to Rajgarh, where I met several women, like me, who were seeking a better life. Their courage inspired me to persevere."
A Successful Partnership Between USHA International And Rourkela Steel Plant
With her newfound skills, Prabha opened her Silai School on December 10th, 2023. Starting with determination and an eagerness to teach, she began empowering other women in her community.
Prabha states,
"I teach girls and explain how learning to sew can change their lives. It gives them the ability to earn money and makes them independent. People sometimes challenge me, but they listen because they know I've learned and can help them."
Prabha's impact extends beyond sewing; she has become a guiding light for women in her village.
Alok Shukla, Assistant Vice President of USHA Social Services said,
"Through mentoring and support, we help them navigate the complex dynamics of their society.”
The USHA Silai School Program: Turning Dreams Into Reality
Prabha is not just a sewing teacher; she is an agent of change, fostering resilience and hope among the women she teaches. Her Silai School represents her unwavering belief in the power of women to uplift one another.
Each woman who enters the USHA Silai School gains not only valuable skills but also the courage to dream big. Prabha embodies this spirit, aiming to become a renowned master trainer with the vision of opening a shop equipped with multiple sewing machines.
Prabha's journey reminds us of the strength of the human spirit. Through her story, we see the transformative power of empowerment, proving that, even in the face of adversity, change is possible, one stitch at a time.
Published: March 03, 2025 11:03 IST
Team NDTV | Thursday March 06, 2025Women in rural India, like Geetaben and Leelaben, are transforming lives through Silai Schools and Training Cum Production Centres, fostering empowerment, skill development, and community resilience
- Team NDTV | Wednesday March 05, 2025
Anwara Begum's journey with USHA Silai School in Odisha showcases her transformation into a successful entrepreneur, empowering her community and inspiring young girls toward financial independence
- Team NDTV | Wednesday March 05, 2025
Prabha turned her life around through the USHA Silai School, empowering herself and other women with sewing skills and financial independence
- Team NDTV | Tuesday February 25, 2025
The USHA Silai School empowers women in Ariyalur, like Menaka, fostering financial independence and reshaping family dynamics through essential vocational training
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.