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USHA's Mechanical Training Helps Bridge The Gender Divide For Women Entrepreneurs

USHA's Mechanical Training Helps Bridge The Gender Divide For Women Entrepreneurs
Delhi: 

“Women of Manipur are born entrepreneur, they are blessed with natural skills,” states Anupama, the representative from a local NGO People's Development Society. Manipur, nestled in the lush green landscape of North East India, literally means ‘a jeweled land' and is a mosaic of ancient traditions and rich cultural patterns. When it comes to the women of Manipur, they are known for their valor, skills and active contribution in various social and political spheres. They're known for defying gender roles and their contribution to the economy of Manipur is equally vast.

Also Read: With 3,500 New Silai Schools In The State, USHA And West Bengal Government Uplift Thousands Of Women

Anupama further explains that the men hailing from rural Manipur usually work in farms, which doesn't pay much. Surviving gets tougher with the low income and the women are forced to deal with the economic pressure in addition to the other issues faced by them living in poverty.

We are trying to help these women to overcome their economic problems along with Usha, she said.

Also Read: USHA Silai School Reaches The Remotest Islands And Villages To Empower and Upskill Women

29-year-old Sorokhaibam Latasana, who lives with her husband, three children and mother-in-law, has successfully been running an USHA Silai School at Manipur's Ghari Awang Leikai. Her husband, engaged in farming and petty trades used to be the sole breadwinner and his unstable income was not sufficient to manage the growing needs of their family.

Also Read: The Women From USHA Silai School Kashmir Make It To The Lakme Fashion Week 2019

To help her husband with extra income, Latasana began working at a tailoring shop as a daily wage earner in Imphal bazaar. However, she didn't feel the work was dignified and it often became difficult for her to go to work due to family inconveniences. Every time she missed work, her earning staggered and she remained worried.

The Pradhan of Imphal West's Ghari Village, Ratan Singh, noticed her sewing skills and helped her financially. He advised her to start a training centre for those who were eager to learn stitching.

She joined Usha Silai School to enhance her skills from different types of stitching work and even learned how to fix sewing machines.

Latasana is not just a teacher now, she is also a mechanic as she also learned how to fix and repair a sewing machine in her 7 days of training at the Usha Silai School program. This mechanical training has helped her save additional money, as earlier she used to take her machine to service centers, but now she fixes it herself.

Also  Read: USHA Silai School Helping Nithari Village Put Its Dark Past To Rest

Latasana finally began her entrepreneurial journey with her own Usha Silai School training centre in December 2017.

She began teaching people how to sew, alter and fix school uniforms. She also taught them how to fix the machines and Latasana tried to share the experience that she had inculcated at the USHA Silai School, Mr. Singh told NDTV.

Latasana wishes to undertake further training in order to increase her proficiency in this skill.

Latasana told NDTV,

Before this initiative, I barely had an income but the situation has changed, now that I get numerous stitching orders. I earn about Rs. 10,000 a month, along with the additional 400-500 for the sewing machines that I fix, which is good enough to help my family's needs.

Another success story of USHA Silai School initiative from Manipur, is that of Elangbam Surbala's, who hails from East Imphal. Surbala's husband abandoned her, leaving her to be the sole bread earner of her family and now she single-handedly keeps the family going. The family's main source of income is farming – barely enough for them to live on.

So, Surbala decided to put her basic sewing skills to use to earn that extra money. However, she felt the need to learn more and that is when she enrolled in the Usha Silai School.

As of this day, Surbala earns about Rs 4000 from her students at the Silai school and with the addition of orders, she manages to make at least Rs.12000 every month.

Also Read: Silai School Initiative Takes Its Mission Of Changing Lives To West Bengal

The Usha Silai School program also made its way to the villages of Rajasthan, here too, this training goes beyond the mainstream, setting an example in gender equality. The women of Rajasthan have also been given mechanical training, which will help them not only use but also repair the sewing machines – traditionally considered a man's job.

One of the women is Bina, who lives 150 km away from Jaipur, in a village called Beerampur. Stitching and sewing are Bina's hobby but she learned how to fix sewing machines because she always wanted new challenges. Little did she know that she would have to use this skill to support her entire family, after the death of her husband, she was left to be the sole breadwinner of her family, providing for a son and a daughter.

I got the training for repairing from USHA Silai School in 2013, I already knew how to stitch but I didn't know how to finesse. Now, I get to make additional money over and above of the money I make the stitching, thanks to the repairing skills I got the opportunity to learn.

Also Read: Life After Silai School: Women In Nagaland Are Now Sewing Their Own Destinies

Despite being a small endeavor, the initiative has taken significant steps that have helped marginal groups in India

USHA Silai School is empowering women like Latasana, Surbala and Bina, who are struggling to make ends meet by providing them the means to break shackles of poverty and move to a life of dignity and independence.

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Adopt a Silai School

Adopt a Silai School

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.

About the Initiative

About the Initiative

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.

 

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In Pics

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching
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.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

Usha Silai School has empowered many rural women to support their family and send their children to school.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

The Usha Silai School, established in a small nondescript village that goes by the name of Kottai, is helping empower people from varied communities.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

The all-inclusive Usha Silai School Programme covers the entire nation from hamlets tucked between hills to villages cast by the sea.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

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.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

Usha Silai School learner Lucy has trained seven other women in her community, helping them to become financially independent.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

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.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

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.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

Usha Silai School, in association with a Gujarat based NGO called Kala Raksha, is trying to bring about a Silai revolution in Bhuj.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

Besides training other women from their community, many Usha Silai School learners have become entrepreneurs in their own right.

Kushalta ke Kadam: Aiming for Independence Through Stitching

With sewing becoming easily accessible and lucrative, the silai schools are also helping revive traditional motifs and designs.