SIDBI launches 5th phase of setting up 300 Swavalamban Silai Schools to promote Women Entrepreneurship in villages
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), the Principal Financial Institution engaged in the promotion, financing and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) under its flagship initiative Mission Swavalamban, Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in partnership with Usha International Limited (UIL) has launched, on independence day, 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 with 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.
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, SIDBI is glad to announce that through this joint initiative, 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 & North-East (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura & Mizoram) of country. It’s a matter of proud that they contributed to the national mission “Har Ghar Tiranga” by making 75000 flags which were distributed among 750 villages. “
Earlier these homepreneurs supported covid fight by making around 1.5 lakh masks in 7 states. 160 silai women entrepreneurs have since onboarded the GEMS portal and 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 readymade garment sector.
Under this program, aspiring women entrepreneurs are multi skilled in stitching, maintenance & repairing of sewing machine along with life skills & tenets of entrepreneurship. These are done by expert trainers of UIL. The selection, capacity building & setting up by homepreneurs is well laid down process. The participants start their journey by unpacking the sewing machine box, assembling it, again dismantling & assembling. The women successfully completing the training program are provided 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 family but infuse entrepreneurship culture as also in turn they become master trainer and then teach on an average ten more women which would create a multiplier/ripple effect.
In the first four phases of the initiative, 2700 homepreneurs are functional and have enrolled over 27000+ learners under them leading to deepening of theme of entrepreneurship. Each homepreneur acts as trainers for aspirants, designs & sells stitched garments as also provide repair services. The initiative has touched the bottom of the pyramid women and deprived section of the society. Out of these 2700 Homepreneurs, around 40% women fall under Other Backward Class category while around 39% women belong to Scheduled Cast/Scheduled Tribe category. Overall, 60% of these women who have set up Silai Schools hail from Below the Poverty Line category. 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 an average. The next level of their aspiration to assimilate embroidery & fashion designing is being worked upon jointly by SIDBI & Usha.