Livelihood Project for Women

Deshabandhu Club has been implementing the USHA Silai School Programme in partnership with USHA International Ltd. since 2014. It is one of the organization's flagship livelihood initiatives dedicated to promoting marginalized women's economic empowerment, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihood development. The programme aims to enhance new employment and income-generating capacities of rural women with special focus to widow and unmarried women who are poor and have no other source of income to maintain their livelihood by providing them structured vocational training in tailoring, garment making and micro-enterprise development.

Initially launched in the Barak Valley of Assam, the programme has progressively expanded across the North-Eastern region, covering the states of Manipur, Tripura, and Mizoram. Over the years, 957 USHA Silai Schools have been established, creating a strong network of community-based vocational training centres that provide accessible and affordable skill development opportunities for poor women in rural and underserved communities.

Since its inception, the programme has conducted 56 structured training programmes, directly benefiting thousands of widow and middle aged unmarried women. During the reporting period, 435 beneficiaries received sewing machines free of cost, enabling them to immediately initiate income-generating activities and establish home-based tailoring enterprises. The programme has not only strengthened technical skills but has also enhanced women's confidence, financial independence, and participation in local economic activities.

Goal

To empower rural widow and unmarried girls through vocational skills, entrepreneurship development, and sustainable livelihood opportunities, enabling them to achieve economic independence, financial resilience, and enhanced social status.

Objectives

The programme aims to:

Promote self-employment, micro-enterprise development, and sustainable income generation.
Strengthen women's entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and economic independence.
Enhance women's confidence, leadership, and participation in household and community decision-making.
Contribute to poverty reduction through inclusive and sustainable livelihood interventions.

Programme Approach

The programme adopts a community-based approach to women's livelihood promotion. Training combines practical tailoring and garment-making skills with entrepreneurship development. Experienced instructors provide hands-on training to support participants to improve their skills and establish sustainable livelihood opportunities. The distribution of sewing machines to deserving trainees further strengthens their capacity to become self-employed immediately after completing the course.

Challenges

Despite its positive achievements, the programme encountered several implementation challenges:

Communication constraints in remote and geographically difficult areas occasionally delayed technical support and programme monitoring.
Limited market demand for tailoring services in tea garden and remote rural areas affected income opportunities for some beneficiaries.
Financial constraints prevented some trained women from expanding their enterprises beyond household-level production.
Transportation and connectivity issues posed challenges for regular supervision, mentoring, and capacity-building activities.

Impact

The USHA Silai School Programme has made a significant contribution to improving the livelihoods of rural women across North-East India. By equipping women with vocational, entrepreneurial, and business management skills, the programme has enabled many beneficiaries to establish home-based tailoring enterprises, generate regular income, and improve their household economic security. The initiative has strengthened women's self-confidence, enhanced their decision-making capacity, and increased their participation in family and community development.

The programme has also contributed to local employment generation by creating a network of skilled women entrepreneurs who provide tailoring services within their communities while mentoring other aspiring women. Through sustained investment in women's skills and economic empowerment, the initiative has helped reduce poverty and promote inclusive rural development.

The programme aligns closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). By promoting sustainable livelihoods, entrepreneurship, and women's economic inclusion, the USHA Silai School Programme continues to serve as a successful model of community-based livelihood promotion and women's empowerment across North-East India.