Sewing Machines to Trained artisans as Tools of Independence and empowerment.
Distributing sewing machines to skilled women to enable self-employment.
When Skill Exists but Tools Are Missing
In the heart of Rajasthan’s rural economy lies a treasure: the skilled hands of thousands of women artisans. They learn fast. They work hard. They dream big. But what holds them back?
A simple machine.
Even after completing rigorous training under EDP (Entrepreneurship Development Programmes) or artisan skill workshops, many women are unable to earn income due to:
Lack of access to sewing machines
No financial means to buy their own equipment
Being dependent on neighbors’ or community-owned machines
Families not prioritizing women’s self-employment
Without the tool, the training fades.
And without equipment, empowerment remains just a word.
A Machine in Every Trained Artisan’s Hands
Ruma Devi Foundation recognized this gap and launched a transformative initiative:
Sewing Machine Distribution to Certified Artisans Post-Training.
This movement went beyond ceremonies and photo-ops. It was rooted in real follow-through, built on the belief that training without tools is a half-finished promise.
Key highlights of the movement:
Distributed over 3,500 sewing machines across Barmer, Balotra, Baitu, Sheo, Pachpadra, Chawa, and surrounding blocks
Beneficiaries were exclusively graduates of certified EDP/artisan skill programs, ensuring readiness to earn
Machines distributed free of cost, in public programs led by community panchayats, district officers, and Ruma Devi herself
Priority given to widows, single mothers, women with disabilities, and extremely low-income households
Each event was also a symbolic milestone transforming women from trainees to micro-entrepreneurs in their own right
This was not just a distribution drive. It was a deployment of self-reliance.
Threads of Change Across Villages
The impact has been widespread, measurable, and deeply personal:
Over 3,500+ women artisans now have their own income-generating asset
Household incomes rose by 20–50% within the first 3–6 months for many recipients
Women started tailoring units, blouse stitching shops, kurti boutiques, and home-based production hubs
Some began supplying to local vendors, exhibitions, and craft orders through the Foundation
Dependency on male breadwinners reduced, giving women more decision-making power at home
In villages where women never even had financial independence, they now earn ₹3,000–₹12,000 monthly from tailoring
Girls in those homes no longer see stitching as labor they see it as freedom in fabric
From Tilwara to Balotra, from Chawa to Barmer sewing machines aren’t just stitching garments.
They’re stitching confidence, stability, and new identities.
