VEDANTA SAKHI : JAI HIND SELF HELP GROUP

Village Bichaddi, District Udaipur, Rajasthan

Specialization : Embroidery, Stitching, Tailoring, Pittan-work, Button making

Bichaddi is a small village in Udaipur District, near Debari plant of Hindustan Zinc. It was our day to visit the "Vedanta Sakhi : Jai Hind SHG" where we were to meet rural women. As I call them, they are all rural entrepreneurs. On our arrival, we met Shehnaz Begum, the leader of "Vedanta Sakhi Jai Hind SHG". We could see that women of different temperaments and art-forms had formed their group.

We saw about 20 rural women engrossed in their work. Some were working on electric sewing machines and some were doing hand-work. We could see a number of products made by them had occupied the walls. From bags to ladies garments to minute work of thread, they were doing everything. Where Rehana was good in making bags, Nazma was good in making buttons, Kiran can make ladies garments and Ishika is good in doing hand embroidery. Amrin, Meera, Santosh, Anam, Karishma, Kusum, you name them and they were quite busy in their work had a little time to talk to us, as they had to complete a big order of Fab India and for the local market.

Shehnaz told us that these women come to the centre for about 4 hours every day and have been given various training by Hindustan Zinc in embroidery, stitching, tailoring, pittan-work, button making, etc.

Initially, the problem was learning, but once trained, they can produce best of products today. 

Each women in this group is earning about Rs. 2500-3000 every month and our group has also been linked with State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur. All women have attained competency to deposit money in Bank and do their daily transactions. 

Sharp brains, hard work and spark on their faces, these rural women are determined to strengthen their socio-economic status.

We saw many young women of not more than 20 years of age and we also saw women in late 40s working together. Shehnaz informed me that the age difference in these women have only added to quality of products due to inherent competition. You get sharp brains and speed in young women and the matured women help in understanding the craft better.