NEW DELHI (India CSR): Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) in partnership with Usha International Limited (UIL) have launched the fifth phase of setting up of 300 Swavalamban Silai Schools across 10 districts of 6 States / Union Territory viz. Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Goa, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. It has an objective to empower women making them independent while pursuing entrepreneurship culture (Udyam Se Azadi) and evolve as Homepreneurs.
The virtual launch of the program was flagged off virtually from Puducherry by CMD, SIDBI, in the attendance of around 25 aspirational homepreneurs.
2700 Swavalamban Silai Schools have been set-up covering 2618 villages
On this occasion Shri Sivasubramanian Ramann, CMD, SIDBI said, “As we celebrate 76th year of independence with the theme of ‘Udyam Se Aazadi” by promoting women entrepreneurship, artisans and large-scale livelihood promotion. Till now, 2700 Swavalamban Silai Schools have been set-up covering 2618 villages, 198 blocks, 48 districts across 17 states (viz. UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and North-East (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura & Mizoram) of country. It’s a matter of pride that they contributed to the national mission “Har Ghar Tiranga” by making 75000 flags which were distributed among 750 villages.”
160 silai women entrepreneurs have since onboarded the GEMS portal
Earlier these homepreneurs supported the covid fight by making around 1.5 lakh masks in 7 states. 160 silai women entrepreneurs have since onboarded the GEMS portal and a few of them also stepped up to a level of participating in exhibitions with their products. Taking the momentum ahead, SIDBI aims towards reaching 5,000 such schools across India and further stepping up them to take up bigger roles in the readymade garment sector.
Under this program, aspiring women entrepreneurs are multi-skilled in stitching, maintenance & repairing sewing machines along with life skills and tenets of entrepreneurship. These are done by expert trainers of UIL. The selection, capacity building and setting up by homepreneurs is a well laid down process. The participants start their journey by unpacking the sewing machine box, assembling it, and again dismantling and assembling it.
Training program
The women successfully completing the training program are provided a sewing machine, training kit, machine manual, design book, certificate, and a Swavalamban Silai School signage board. This initiative is not only making them independent and role models for their families but infusing entrepreneurship culture as also in turn they become a master trainers and then teach on an average ten more women which would create a multiplier/ripple effect.
Bottom of the pyramid of women and deprived sections of society
In the first four phases of the initiative, 2700 homepreneurs are functional and have enrolled over 27000+ learners under them leading to the deepening of entrepreneurship. Each homepreneur acts as a trainer for aspirants, designs & sells stitched garments, and also provides repair services. The initiative has touched the bottom of the pyramid of women and deprived sections of society. Out of these 2700 Homepreneurs, around 40% of women fall under the Other Backward Class category while around 39% of women belong to the Scheduled Cast/Scheduled Tribe category.
2700 women recorded at Rs. 12.47 Cr during the period of 3 years
Overall, 60% of these women who have set up Silai Schools hail from the Below the Poverty Line category. The cumulative income of these 2700 women has been recorded at Rs. 12.47 Cr during the period of 3 years through stitching job-work, learners’ fee & sewing machine repair. Around 40-45% of these homepreneurs are earning around Rs. 3000-3500/month on average. The next level of their aspiration to assimilate embroidery & fashion designing is being worked upon jointly by SIDBI & Usha.
SIDBI is the principal financial institution set up under an Act of Parliament for the promotion, financing, and development of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) sector and for coordination of functions of institutions engaged in similar activities. Over the years, SIDBI has been instrumental in taking up various initiatives for the development of the MSME sector through credit and more importantly, credit plus activities.
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