At a time when jobs were lost due to closure of industries and other establishments due to the lockdown, many women got an opportunity to generate income by stitching masks in a big way.
Many women tailors are able to earn more than ₹1,500 per day as orders poured in from the government and private agencies. About 30 tailors of Akkulapeta, Uppilivalasa, Peddipeta and other remote places have benefited in the time of adversity. Each tailor gets ₹1,500 for stitching 1,000 masks at ₹1.50 per piece.
Association
The Srikakulam District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and other organisations have been giving them orders regularly and distributing those masks in remote tribal areas. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and ARTS, a non-governmental organisation, provided training in tailoring as part of skill development for rural women which is now helping them generate a decent income. The women tailors have become the members of the Chikkolu Weaver Producers’ Company which is able to get bulk orders.
Training
“The special training in stitching of masks as per the specifications of the government has helped us a lot. We are able to stitch more than 1,000 masks a day. We hope the demand will continue in the near future too with no respite from coronavirus,” says Metta Govindamma of Akkulapaeta.
ARTS director N. Sanyasi Rao and Manya Sahaja Farmers’ Association CEO B. Sankara Rao say they were concentrating on distribution of masks for tribal people also.
“The tribal people also understand the importance of masks to protect themselves from COVID-19. With the suggestion from the government, we are distributing masks in various tribal villages of Palakonda, Sitampet and other areas. We are planning to train tribal women to stitch masks to meet the local demand. It will certainly help them to earn some income,” says Mr. Sanyasi Rao.
