Kushalta ke Kadam: USHA Silai School Empowers 36-Year-Old Preeti To Build A Better Future
The aim of USHA Silai School has always been to empower the vulnerable and provide them with a better source of livelihood. Keeping up with its motive, here is how the initiative has changed the life of 36-year-old Preeti Khushwaha, a resident of Mustafabad village of Bangarmau block in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. After training from the Silai school, not only did Preeti build a better life for herself and her family, but also helped over 1,500 women in and around her village to learn stitching and become financially independent.
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Preeti Khushwaha had a very humble beginning and just like other women of her village, she had to give up her education. Her family married her off at the age of 18 years after which, as a wife, she was expected to restrict herself to running the household, have children and manage the survival of the family with the meagre income of her husband. But she was determined to make her and her family's future better.
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In 2011, she got to know about USHA Silai School and signed up for a 7-day residential training. After convincing her husband, Preeti got trained from the Silai school and came back to her village armed with a sewing machine, certificate, signage board, syllabus book and a service manual from the Usha International Limited. She was ready to start her own Silai school.
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Today on an average she teaches 24 students every day. She has five sewing machines in her school where she teaches a variety of stitching skills from basic garments to embroidery. She also earns a good amount from stitching suit, frock, and other garments for ladies.
