Thirty-two-year-old S. Kavita and G. Nagarathinam would have continued to be poor tribal women, living on the meagre earnings of their husbands, or eking out a living as agricultural daily labourers. But not anymore. Today they are trained tailors, ready to set out on a professional journey and supplement the family income.
Thirty five such women of Divansapudur Panchayat of Anamalai Block, 18 km from Pollachi, have just completed a four-month training by Rhythem Social Service Society for Women, a non-Governmental organisation, under the ‘Pudhu Vazhvu' project of the Tamil Nadu Government.
Living in tiny huts in hamlets spread over the hilly terrains of the Divansapudur Panchayat, these women are mostly illiterate, do not know to wear a sari, can speak only a smattering of Tamil, and can afford only plain rice meals, without any curry or vegetables. ‘Pudhu Vazhvu' identified this tribal community for their project and entrusted its implementation to Rhythem. It was decided to train the women in tailoring to enable them earn a livelihood.
Secretary of the NGO Sister Arputha Paul Rani recalls how they had to walk through the hamlets convincing women to join the training that was to be held at the Government community centre at Divansapudur.
“There was stiff resistance from both the men and women. It took a lot of persuading to make them understand that it was a free Government project that will provide them with a skill. They gradually responded and we had 35 participants. We took 10 sewing machines from our NGO. A teacher was appointed and materials were procured using the grant from the Government,” the nun says.
The Government provided Rs. 2,000 for each woman. S. Vijaya, a trained teacher, was entrusted the task of teaching cutting and stitching. Since the comprehension levels of these women were very low, the training period was scheduled for four months. And, according to Sr. Rani, it was not just a training in tailoring. It was a training in personality development. It began with making them wear a sari for the training every day like a uniform. They also got lessons on healthy eating, bringing up children, and so on from the proactive teacher.
Measurements were made using rulers, sticks, fingers, hands and even feet, instead of an inch tape. Infants and small children were brought along and made to sleep in cradles made out of saris, while the mothers went about learning to make blouses and petticoats.
And the change in them, even before the end of the training, was evident to the other women in the hamlets. Already, another batch is ready to get trained in a similar fashion and the NGO and ‘Pudhu Vazhvu' is planning to make it happen.
April 12 was a memorable day for the 35 women when they turned up in neat saris, wearing blouses made by them, to receive the course-completion certificate.
Having undergone a total personality make-over, they are raring to go. Since it is difficult for them to operate a private business in their remote settlement, Rhythem is tying up with the Pollachi Co-operative Society to give the women some bulk orders such as stitching uniforms for Government school students. It is also speaking with the Social Welfare Department for providing women with free sewing machines.
The very community centre that served as a school for the women will be converted into a working area for them to kick-start their venture.
Taking the development measures to the grassroots has paid rich dividends in integrating these tribal women into the mainstream. They are now looked upon as role models for other women of their community to emulate.
