In the remote villages of Odisha’s Kalahandi district, where economic opportunities are scarce and traditional gender roles often limit women’s aspirations, Padma Majhi and Anita Harijan are rewriting the narrative. Armed with sewing machines and entrepreneurial spirit, these young women are stitching together their dreams of financial independence and entrepreneurial success through a unique skill development programme.

Padma, 22, and Anita, 20, are graduates of the Prerna Centre, a vocational training institute established in Rughaguda village by Gram Vikas in collaboration with the SBI Foundation. The centre offers a variety of skills training programmes, but tailoring has proven particularly popular among women.

“It was my dream to learn sewing from a very young age,” says Padma, who now runs a thriving tailoring business from her home. “I always wished to take up a tailoring course. But I had to travel to Bhubaneswar, which was difficult as my parents and elder brother could not afford to pay for my stay there. The Prerna Centre was a blessing in disguise. It gave me the skills and confidence to start my own business and earn a decent income.”

Anita echoes Padma’s sentiments, adding, “I received training at the centre, bought a sewing machine, and opened a shop in my house in March 2023. I earn nearly ₹5000 a month.”

The Prerna Centre, established in Rughaguda village in the Lanjigarh block of Odisha’s Kalahandi district, facilitates skill development, enhancing livelihood opportunities for women in the villages. The tailoring programme commenced in November 2022.

Limited opportunities, shifting aspirations

Opportunities for secure and sustainable livelihoods in Odisha’s villages are limited. In Kalahandi district, industrial activity is largely mining and provides few employment opportunities. The remoteness of the location and topography have constrained social development in the different blocks in the district.

Non-agricultural wage labour is hard to come by. Farm labour is available for limited periods and provides very low wages. At the same time, increased access to education and exposure to new technologies are transforming the younger generation’s aspirations. Under these circumstances, the district witnesses substantial migration of youth for work to southern states.

Our 2019 profiling of the Thuamul Rampur block in the district, conducted along with Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID), revealed that one in every three households had at least one person who had migrated for work in the ten years preceding the survey. Despite many who travel outside their villages to earn a living, many still prefer to stay in their villages.

Skill development is key to improving employability and income-earning opportunities for women and youth to enhance sustainable rural development and livelihoods. The focus is, therefore, on those who aspire to remain in their villages and secure livelihoods within their communities.

Nirmal Mohanty, the Gram Vikas lead for Livelihoods feels, “Prerna center is a place of hope for the youth to learn and earn.  Tailoring was the starting point for the young women to get an opportunity to be skilled and get self-employed. The Gram Seva Program is an enabler for the youth, farmers, women and groups to enhance their income by providing a conducive ecosystem. A small change in a consistent manner will have a visible impact in the long run. Investing in skilling is one great way of creating dignified livelihoods for rural youth in remote areas where opportunities to earn an income are hard to come by. ”

Stitching a wave of change

Anita Harijan, 20, also from Thuangapadar village, was part of the inaugural batch at the Prerna Centre in November 2022. After three months of acquiring tailoring skills, she opened a shop. She recounts her experience, “I did not have to spend any money to enrol in the training or go far away, as the training centre is just 150 metres from my village. Later, I invested in a sewing machine and opened a shop at home. The income from sewing allows me to buy clothes and personal accessories that I have always wished for but could not afford. I also support my family, and this gives me a good feeling. My parents are happy that I am self-reliant and started my own business.”

Padma believes the training provided at the centre will help many women like her who wish to earn by running their businesses. She feels that many basic services are not available in villages like hers, which one can tap into and become a source of income.

“Earlier, there was no tailoring shop in or around our village, forcing residents to walk a kilometre to a tailoring shop in Kumaraguda village. The programme helped me learn tailoring and open a shop in my village. Whether it is festival season or otherwise, orders keep coming. I am always busy. I have engaged my cousin Manisha from nearby Talbora village to help me manage my shop. I have trained her in sewing, and she helps me when there are urgent orders or when I have to leave the shop. This way, she too earns some money.”

Beyond financial gains

The impact of the Prerna Centre extends beyond the individual women it serves. The increased economic activity generated by the women’s businesses has had a positive effect on the local economy, creating jobs and stimulating demand for goods and services.

Out of the 42 graduates from the Prerna Centre, ten have started their own stitching enterprise, five have opened tailoring shops in their homes in 2023, while the rest engage in stitching as a supplementary income source when they are free from household chores and farming. On average, they earn at least Rs. 1500 per month through stitching. Notably those who set up their shops like, Sangita Naik, Sumitra Majhi, Surabhi Harijan, Padma Majhi, and Anita Harijan earn a minimum of ₹2500 each month.

Sumitra Majhi, 21, a tailoring graduate from the Prerna Centre, shares her story: “I didn’t want to take up daily wage work after passing Class 12. With no other income opportunities, I would have continued doing household chores and working in the field with my family. We don’t get opportunities to earn here, other than, when we take up daily wage. I did not take up my daily wage. The tailoring course at the center was truly a blessing and allowed youngsters like me to pursue a dignified and fulfilling life enabling us to earn every month. There is a good market for stitching clothes in our villages. There are weddings, festivals and other social events taking place and so there is always a demand for a skilled tailor. There was a dearth of skilled tailors here. People walked more than a kilometer to reach a tailor shop to get clothes stitched well! Most of us who graduated from the Prerna Center are tapping into that space. ”

Having started her own business, Padma can support her elder brother, a farmer, whenever his mini tractor breaks down. She pays for the upkeep and maintenance of the tractor so that her brother can continue working in their field. “I buy fabric from the vendor who regularly visits our village. I stitch blouses for my mother and sister-in-law, which I gift them. I love giving gifts, and I stitch clothes for my cousins and give them, too. At times, I also support my family when there is a need for some cash.”

Padma and Anita’s stories are not isolated incidents. To date, 30 trainees have completed training across three batches, while another 12 are currently receiving training. Six trained individuals have purchased their sewing machines, paving the way for improved livelihoods and self-reliance. The programme has not only empowered women economically but has also boosted their self-esteem and social standing.

Partnerships for lasting change

Debendra Kumar Naik, Program Manager, SBI Foundation’s Gram Seva project in Lanjigarh block says, “The SBI Prerna Center established in Rughaguda has become a hub of activity and empowerment for local women. The centre has proven to be an effective platform for women to enhance their skills and explore livelihood opportunities in tailoring and stitching. The Gram Seva programme aims at implementing comprehensive interventions to address gender disparities and promote income generation, thereby catalysing broader socio-economic progress within the rural communities.” The programme serves as a testament to the transformative power of actions in bridging the gap between women’s aspiration and achievement, ultimately paving the way for a more just and equitable society where rural women are able to live with dignity.”

The Prerna Centre operates with the support of the SBI Foundation, in collaboration with Gram Vikas, and through active community involvement. The Gram Seva project, SBI’s flagship CSR initiative for integrated rural development, is implemented in five villages in the Lanjigarh block of Odisha’s remote rural Kalahandi. The project will undertake interventions to digitise villages, promote education, improve health services, enable sustainable livelihoods, ensure access to social protection schemes, and enhance rural infrastructure.