Women becoming self-reliant through skills
The true story of India’s development is being written in the corners of villages and cities, where women are no longer limited to household responsibilities. Through their skills, they are not only making their mark but also becoming the economic backbone of their families and society.
Working tirelessly towards this transformation is the Ayush Shiksha Samiti, which provides sewing and embroidery training to girls and women in both rural and urban areas.
The A.S.S. objective is clear: skill in every woman’s hands and self-reliance in every home.
Sewing and Embroidery Training: Skills that can change lives
The Ayush Shiksha Samiti believes that skill education is the key to empowerment. With this vision, the organization has established several sewing and embroidery training centers in rural and urban areas.
These training centers provide women with practical training in sewing machine use, garment cutting, designing, and sewing blouses, kurtas, children’s clothing, school uniforms, and home textiles. They also provide knowledge of modern techniques such as embroidery, handwork, boutique design, and fashion stitching.
The training program is designed to enable even a new learner to become self-reliant within three to six months.
The environment at these centers is not only conducive to learning but also inspiring. The instructors themselves come from rural backgrounds and have struggled to achieve success. This gives trainees the confidence that they, too, can progress through hard work.
Post-training support: Machinery and material facilities
The Ayush Shiksha Samiti doesn’t stop at providing training. Following the training, the organization also supports women by providing them with sewing machines and necessary materials (thread, fabric, cutters, measuring tapes, design sheets, etc.).
This support is provided in two ways:
1.Women in need are provided with machines free of charge or at a discounted rate.
2.Some women are given the opportunity to collectively share machines under a “self-help group” so they can work together and support each other.
This initiative eliminates the financial burden for women to start work. They can immediately utilize their skills and begin working from home or at a small center.
Recognized Certificate: Talent gets recognition
Another important initiative of the Ayush Shiksha Samiti is to provide each trained woman with a recognized certificate.
This certificate not only validates their skills but also helps them secure job opportunities in government or private institutions.
This certificate gives them a new identity—they are no longer “just a housewife,” but a trained professional tailor or embroidery artist.
Many women have found work with local boutiques, school uniform suppliers, and fashion design houses using this certificate.
Placement Assistance: A Stepping Stone Towards Employment
After completing the training, the committee doesn’t just end the work by issuing certificates but also strives to connect the trained women with employment opportunities.
The A.S.S. coordinates with various government schemes, the textile industry, boutiques, school uniform sewing units, and local businesses.
Whenever there is a vacancy or sewing work available, the committee strives to send trained women there.
This has provided permanent employment to many women.
Some women are working as freelance tailors, taking orders from home—sewing wedding dresses, children’s clothing, curtains, or blouses.
Incentives and support for self-employment
The primary goal of the Ayush Shiksha Samiti is to empower women to establish their own businesses.
The organization not only motivates women but also provides information about microfinance institutions, bank loan schemes, and government self-employment programs to help them start their own small businesses.
Many women have started “Ladies Tailoring Centers” or “Boutique Houses” in their areas. Some are earning good profits by taking special orders for tailoring and embroidery during weddings or festivals.
The A.S.S. also periodically organizes exhibitions and fairs, where women promote and sell their own clothing, handmade products, and other products.
These initiatives not only increase their income but also boost their self-confidence.
Equal opportunities in both rural and urban areas
A distinctive feature of the Ayush Shiksha Samiti is that it is not limited to rural areas.
The organization is also reaching out to women in urban slums, backward neighborhoods, and small towns.
While women in rural areas take time out from their farm work and household chores to attend training, women in urban areas learn these skills while caring for their families and children.
This training program is therefore useful and accessible to women from all walks of life.
The journey from skill to confidence
This effort by the Ayush Shiksha Samiti is not just a means of employment but an initiative to instill self-confidence and self-respect in women.
When a woman earns her own living and runs her household, a new sense of self-confidence is born within her.
She not only improves her family’s financial situation but also establishes her own identity in society.
The stories of many women have become inspirational today—
Some took on the responsibility of the household after her husband’s illness.
Some supplemented their income through sewing and embroidery to continue their children’s education.
And yet another created employment for 4-5 other women in her small center.
These stories show that with the right guidance and support, every woman can become an example of change.