USHA And Northern Railways Join Hands To Make Jaipur Women Financially Independent

Moving from the Himalayas in Meghalaya to the Aravallis in Rajasthan, and Jaipur, the pink city. The Hawa Mahal is one of Jaipur's iconic landmarks, but what lies behind the beautiful architecture are the strict rules of the purdah system - a culture where women were forbidden from appearing in public without a face covering, where women were restricted to their homes, and going out to work was not an option.

But times have changed. Today, women have chosen to let go of old, restrictive practices. They want to break shackles, find their voice, and create an identity of their own. It is in the USHA Silar school training cum production centre that the women see themselves actively working towards their dreams.

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USHA has partnered with the North Western Railway Women Welfare Organisation (NWRWWO) to turn their dreams into reality. With an aim to build something sustainable and make women financially independent, the railway board started this training cum production centre in a railway colony in Jaipur. NWRWWO JP Division President, Dr. Shachi Sinha, said,

Our Women's Welfare Organisation does a lot for marginalised women and economically weaker sections of society. I have been thinking for a while about opening a sewing center. I did extensive research. After watching Kushalta Ke Kadam on NDTV, I tried contacting USHA. So, I found a way, and the outcome is in front of you.

The husbands of most of these women work in the railways sector. JP Division DRM, Narendra said,

They collaborated with USHA to start a training centre which currently has 10 machines. The training is free of charge and is not just for railway employees but also for anyone else who is interested.

The training centre has been recently inaugurated, and the first batch is ready. With the help of Unnayan Samiti, a local NGO, USHA has identified 10 women who will be trained in the basics of sewing for the next three weeks. Once the basic training is over, the women will then be qualified to take the advanced training, which will open new avenues for them. Mr. Narendra said,

Jaipur is known for its local textiles and unique designs. If we can teach the locals, particularly the women, to sew efficiently, then they will be able to make a living. This is the aim of the training centre.

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An USHA Silai school trainee, Poonam Singh, comes from an army background, and her husband works in the railways department. Poonam's father was the inspiration behind her early interest in stitching as a hobby. Ms. Singh said,

I really liked it. When I was a young girl, my father used to tell me to pull off the stitches, sew it again, he would ask me to try different things. He disliked it when I went outside.My father served in the Army and wanted me to stay at home, so he used to find ways to keep busy.

Ms. Singh's dedication and desire to be a self-sufficient, independent woman drove her decision to turn her hobby into a career.While sewing was Ms. Singh's childhood hobby, another trainee, Manisha Meena, is completely new to this skill and has never worked on a machine before. Ms. Meena said,

I learned how to sew after coming here. I didn't know how to operate a machine. So, first I learned to work with my hands, then I learned to use my feet to pedal. I also learned to operate an electric sewing machine, and now, I am working on one and performing well.

Ms. Meena may have started with very little knowledge about sewing, but her hard work and commitment have enhanced her skill.

I learned to make sleeves and collars by following ma'am's instructions. So, I can make one shirt in a day, she said.

Like some other trainees, Meena Chaturvedi was also new to stitching and sewing. It was after meeting members of a local NGO, Unnayan Samiti, that Ms. Chaturvedi found out about the training cum production centre and decided to turn her life around.

People from Unnayan Samiti were roaming around and enquiring if anyone would be interested in learning how to sew. They informed us that they were working with Usha. Many people came to know about it, and a meeting was conducted where around 20 ladies gathered. A form had to be filled out by us. We filled in whatever we knew about sewing, and based on that, 10 ladies were selected, Ms. Chaturvedi said.

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The Unnanyan Samiti Secretary, Vijay Parashar, said,

We have been associated with USHA for the past 7 years. The Unnayan Samiti works on Women's Empowerment. We believe that it is necessary to think and work for half of the world's population. One-half of the population is not considered a participant in any decision-making. They are not involved in any social or family decisions because they aren't financially capable, and skills are required to become financially independent.

Ms. Chaturvedi used to struggle with a machine, but today she has honed her skills to such an extent that once this training gets over, she herself will start training the next few batches.

Although it has only been nine days, we have already learned a lot. We now know how to make a collar, cuff, and jodhpuri neck. We learned as much as we could. I have never even operated a manual machine properly, so this high-power machine is fascinating for me. I could not make a single straight stitch. So, I find this exciting. When I am working with this machine, I feel like I am on the hot seat, Ms. Chaturvedi said.

The North Western Railway Women's Welfare Organisation (NWRWWO) has been committed to working for the welfare of railway employees and their families. In addition to this Silai school, they have donated RO water plants and promoted sports in various regions. And now, with this training cum production centre, USHA and NWRWWO have given women a new skill and a new hope.