USHA-Sarvodaya Ashram Are Teaching Traditional Stitching Techniques To Uttar Pradesh Women

A first ever visit to Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow for 21-year-old Reema Devi, a trainee with USHA's Training cum Production Centre in Hardoi , set up for imparting sewing skills, production of items and to promote regional craft. Lucknow's bustling 'chowk' market is known for its 'Chikankari' shops that sell garments with the famous and popular embroidery work that originated in Lucknow but is known all over India. Reema is very young but much of her life has been overtaken by a tragedy from a marginalized OBC community and the youngest of six siblings, Reema was married off by her parents - labourers who struggled to make ends meet.

Just 19 Months after her wedding her husband died in a train accident and her in-laws blamed Reema for this tragedy. They took all her belongings and sent her back to her father's home. They also registered a court case against 6 members of her family which affected Reema's self-esteem terribly. That's where the Sarvodaya Ashram stepped in.

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This decades old NGO, is involved in education and the upliftment of women, and the USHA Training cum Production Centre in Hardoi operates from its campus. Reema was selected as a participant at the Training Cum Production Centre and underwent the training for 15 days. Apart from stitching, Reema has been actively involved in Chikankari embroidery work as well. Even though this is all new for her, and she is still in the process of mastering the skill, Reema is able to earn Rs. 1,000/ month from just Chikankari work alone. It's a big amount for someone like Reema who is still traumatised by the events of the last two years.

USHA Silai school trainee, Ms Devi said,

Now that I can do it (Chikankari embroidery), I find it easy. Earlier I used to feel it was very difficult. It is fine work. Because of the training here my work has become more refined. Now I can finish products better. I learnt how to sew twice, once when I was not married. I asked my father to get me a machine but he said there was no money but he promised to get me one when there was money. But he is a labourer . I like it here. At home, work can be done only when there is time. Here I am free - no one can order me around.

Like Ms Devi , USHA's Training cum Production Centre at Hardoi has given many other women in the area a shot at turning their lives around by learning a new skill set. At this Training cum Production Centre (TCPC), the women not only learn how to stitch and service sewing machines, they are also taught chikankari - intricate work involving 36 types of stitching on textile. The embroidery is mostly done on fine white cotton fabric with untwisted white cotton or silk thread. The motifs are inspired from nature, including flowers, creepers and lace-like patterns.

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Program Coordinator for USHA International, Uttar Pradesh, Vijay Pandey said,

We have been working in rural areas for 10 - 12 years and as the programme is expanding it is evolving too . When we were working in the area we realised that women who know the chikankari craft may not know stitching, when we started teaching stitching, we realised that if we are teaching women embroidery and also stitching they are managing to earn a good amount of money . So we and the ashram administrators realised we should open a training cum production centre here so women can come here and get trained. We had first discussed this 5-6 years ago and now we have managed to implement it on the ground. We have shared our expertise with the women and we are seeing a lot of success in the initiative.

Already, a success story for the initiative, 29 year old Gulab Jahan, famous in her village for her stitching and embroidery skills was brought in as a trainer for the Hardoi Training Cum Production Centre. It was a big opportunity for Ms Jahan to move on from what had happened in her life. Gulab was married for 3 years but soon found out that her husband already had a first marriage . It was after she was subjected to domestic abuse that her father brought her back home. The incident only made Ms Jahan stronger and even more determined to learn and carve a niche for herself. But the journey wasn't easy.

Narrating her ordeal, USHA Silai school trainee, Ms Jahan said,

Where I live, there was no stitching school. I used to hide and watch a few tailors and come back home and try my hand at stitching. Then I learnt some work. Then I went to Hardoi and learnt more there . Then I started cutting and stitching full suit pieces and made many mistakes initially. But I kept on improving. Then I learnt via the USHA Silai School. I learnt embroidery through you tube. I know the basic things, and I will continue to learn till I breathe. From USHA, I got trained in making pockets. I always wanted to earn a name for myself rather than just money. God will give money , but it is the name that travels far.

Today Ms Jahan is able to earn between Rs 7,000-8,000 a month. She takes orders for Chikankari embroidery, trains women in the art for a certain fee, and also does repair work on sewing machines. Ms Jahan thanked USHA for helping her earn a livelihood and teaching her new skills.

I cannot thank them enough. I could never speak to anyone, look at how I am speaking to you now- this is a big contribution. They have exposed people like us to many things, they have taught us many things. We can share anything with them, they are willing to impart any kind of skill that we need.

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In Hardoi, USHA's collaboration with the Sarvodaya Ashram has been essential. A prominent voluntary organisation founded in the 1980's in Hardoi by Urmila Shrivastava and her husband... The ashram works on various projects related to land development and education. The organisation has also provided space for USHA's training cum production centre at their sprawling Hardoi campus.

Sarvodaya Ashram President, Urmila Srivastava said that the team collaborated with USHA because of the same interests and goals - provide employment to women.

The Sarvodaya Ashram also works towards the same goal. Another agenda for both of us is that when women will step out of the house , when the get money in their hands, the confidence and self-belief they get they will do a lot of work on their own. If you speak to any of the women here you will realise how many constraints they are living under . How there are so many issues with the families. They are emerging out of that darkness and moving towards the light, we are trying to show them the light . We are full of hope , we may be slow paced right now but we see infinite possibilities.

 USHA and the Sarvodaya Ashram's initiative is spreading hope and bringing cheer to many lives in the area. 28 yr old Tabassum belongs to a marginalized OBC Muslim family She got married in 2016, but due to some issues she returned home and is now staying with her family. She also has a 5 year old daughter and her earnings from the stitching and embroidery work help take care of her child and other expenses. She is able to stitch 2-3 garments per day which generates an income of Rs. 200-300. Apart from stitching, she has been actively involved in Chikankari embroidery work as well.

USHA Silai school trainee, Tabassum said,

My Nani (grandmother) taught me stitching in 5 days . USHA taught me a lot more . For instance there were finishing issues with my work. In chikankari, I understood many designs after coming here. I can now do all kinds of chikankari work. I knew some stuff earlier, and USHA taught me a lot.

Lucknow and its nearby districts are the only places where the 400-year-old art of Chikankari embroidery is preserved. Initiatives like USHA and Sarvodaya Ashram's Training cum Production Centre are not only helping keep the craft alive but are also changing countless lives in India's remote villages.

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