KHAIDEM PRAVAPATI, IMPHAL MANIPUR

Like many girls around her, Khaidem Pravapati learnt how to sew growing up. She never thought someday her sewing skills will give her ability to not just empower herself but also her village. Armed with basic sewing skills, Khaidem Pravapati was trained by USHA to develop her entrepreneurial skills and there’s been no stopping her since. “Women and girls come in batches to learnsewing and embroidery from Khaidem Pravapati. The entire house has become an institution,” says her husband.

For Khaidem Pravapati, the joy began when women and girls of her village started enquiring her about her USHA Silai School. Slowly people in her neighbourhood, began understanding the concept of the Silai school and a Silai school teacher. The women say “She’s shown a way of skill development and self-employment to village women.”

So what does she love stitching the most? “The decorative mosquito net used by newly-wed couple which is very unique” she says.

For Khaidem Pravapati, whatever she earns now is spent on educating her children. Shedreams of relocating her USHA Silai School to a nearby market place so that she can get more women to learn to stitch and earn a livelihood.