Women empowerment

Can a Simple Skill Training Change a Life?

Sometimes, a small opportunity to learn a skill can quietly change the direction of a life.

Kavita, from Gonder village in Haryana, always wanted to run a tailoring shop. But with two children to support and a household dependent on her income, her dream felt distant.

She worked as an agricultural labourer, earning around ₹6,000–7,000 a month. Even a ₹3,000 tailoring course was difficult to afford, so she kept waiting for a chance to learn.

That chance came through Project Prashanti Tailoring Centre, when an OSF volunteer introduced her to a local training centre led by Lakshmi. The centre was created to help women gain practical skills at an affordable cost.

Kavita joined Batch 2 at Prashanti Designs, Tailoring and Stitching Centre, where she learned stitching and embroidery.

The training became a turning point. She speaks warmly about the centre head and teacher, who guided the students with patience and care. The OSF volunteer regularly motivated the group, and local leaders were invited to encourage the women and help them see new possibilities.

Kavita attended classes after work, practised daily, and completed her training with strong results.

After the course, she worked at a nearby tailoring shop to gain experience while continuing agricultural work. This helped her build confidence and practical skills.

After a year, in June 2026, she opened her own tailoring and embroidery shop. She rented a small space, bought a sewing machine, and started her business.

Her first month’s income was ₹11,000, almost double what she earned earlier.

Today, her shop also sells boutique items and women’s essentials, becoming a useful place in her village.

Kavita’s journey shows how training, guidance, and encouragement can open new paths. With one skill and steady support, she moved from daily wage work to self-employment.

OSF is proud to support journeys like hers, where opportunity becomes lasting change.

Kavitha shop
Read more

Aiming High

Radhika Himeraka is from Bada Bankidi in Koraput District in Odisha. Her parents passed away in her childhood. At that time, she couldn’t get proper schooling and now she lives with her sister in the village. She was a daily wage laborer.

Radhika has successfully finished a tailoring training course which was organized in their village by Operation Sahay Foundation. “I am very thankful to OSF. Because I have no parents, I was uneducated and was unworthy to join the training but OSF provided the tailoring course in my village!”

Now she does part-time tailoring and gets about 3 customers a week from her village. She is able to stitch ladies’ dresses, blouses, kids wear and work on old clothes. It is an alternate source of income and Radhika could cut down on the hard work as a field laborer.

On her future plans — “I would like to start a tailoring centre, perhaps with some of my friends.”

Read more