Bhavya’s Tailoring Business Profits Nearly Double After Three Years; She Says She Has “Learned to Stand”
According to Bhavya, the Nomi Network program “helped her to stand.” Bhavya completed our Workforce Development Program in 2019 with a focus on tailoring and garment making. Her family is a part of the “scheduled caste,” also known as the “Untouchables.” They are a sub-community within the Hindu caste system that has historically faced socio-economic oppression and extreme social isolation because they were deemed the lowest of all the castes. This low socio-economic status ultimately places members of this community at high risk of exploitation. Growing up in extreme poverty, Bhavya’s father survived off of daily wages, but most of his earnings went towards monthly loan repayments that he borrowed for home repairs, a common struggle among Odisha’s most under-resourced families. Once Bhavya enrolled in our programs, she developed a love for tailoring, and
the more she learned, the more her confidence grew. After completing the technical skills phase, Bhavya opened her own small tailoring business with the support and guidance of our program staff. In 2019, Bhavya earned INR 2,000/mo from her business, and today, she earns INR 5,000/mo! As a result, she can save INR 900/month while still helping her family. Nomi Network connected Bhavya with a local self-help group (SHG), where her family was given funds to help pay off their loans. They have paid off 15 months and now only have three months left before they close the loan. While India’s caste system was banned in 1948, the lower-status communities are still impacted by the cycles of poverty it created over generations. Thankfully Bhavya and her family can reverse this cycle and generate ripple effects of economic security and freedom.
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