Sikkim women take up weaving to become self-reliant

Tode (Sikkim) [India], Nov 21 (ANI): Situated at the East Sikkim-Bhutan border, Tode village is home to a number of women who are becoming self-reliant and earning a decent income by exporting handlooms weaved by them.
Turning out to be the best example of women empowerment, these women have undergone training under the initiative of Sikkim Khadi and Village Industries Board on handloom weaving for three months, earning Rs 3,000 per month.
As the production of handloom weaving flourishes, a single woman earns around Rs 600 for weaving a single shawl. In addition, what has provided a boost to the business is the export of different handloom products to countries like Nepal and Bhutan, yielding them a good income of Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000 per month.
As part of the project, the Sikkim Khadi board is providing all the necessary tools required for handloom weaving including loom, thread, etc.
This is not only making women self-sustainable but giving them a life of respect and dignity at the same time.
"I have undergone training for three months and earned at least Rs 3,000 per month which helped us become financially stable. We are working under a project from last week and weaving handloom products like shawls and muffler," said one of the beneficiaries.
"We are trying to learn more new designs and I believe if we are provided with a machine, then we can do much better and produce more good quality products," she added.
Another woman who is also yielding the benefits of the schemes shared, "We work from morning 9 am till 4 pm in the evening. We urge the government to provide us more looms as that would help us to grow more as earning is not easy here."
Efforts being put in by these women deserve a special mention for handlooms are now also being supplied to different cities like Mumbai and Delhi. (ANI)