Hansaben is a trainer in SEWA’s production unit in NIFT Gandhinagar. Ask her about SEWA and invariably her eyes swell up with tears and she can barely speak a few words. Once she calms down, words come in a rush. She reminisces, “I was a ready made garment worker. Both my husband and I stitched traditional garments for the local market. However as the demand for such traditional garments started falling we were rendered jobless and our earnings dwindled to almost nothing. We did not know how to stitch modern styled clothing.

It was extremely difficult to make ends meet with three children to support. In desperation my husband took up a job with a courier company, which involved extensive traveling, and therefore the entire onus of supporting the family was on me. With my outdated machine, all the work I got was odd stitching jobs in our neighborhood. I have been a member of SEWA since 4years. I was contacted by the SEWA organizers for a survey being conducted to enable them to understand how to provide sustainable income to traditional ready-made garment workers, who were unable to cope with the changing trends in fashion and technology. I was selected for the training program organized by SEWA at NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology). To qualify I had to take a written exam and interview. To my surprise, I cleared both tests successfully. Since then my life has changed.

I received intensive training in using state of the art technology in stitching and finishing. With enhanced skill levels my earnings have improved. I can use my intrinsic skills to earn a living. Now, I am part of a cooperative that comprises of operators and supervisors. I earn Rs 2000 a month. SEWA has made a tremendous change in my life, and now I am earning enough to sustain my family and provide my children with two square meals.

The struggles of my life are however not over. I cannot educate my children and have to leave them unattended at home. I live in an area that is unsafe. I want to work regularly in the production unit but am unable to so because of the concern for my children’s well being. I really want to work, however this will be possible only when another production unit is started in Ahmedabad. A production unit in Ahmedabad, will be closer to my home and it would provide a welcome relief to all my the anxieties.”