Handloom sector leads distressed women towards self-reliance
Saturday, 13 September 2008
RANGPUR, Sept 12 (BSS): A boom in the handloom industry has been contributing to the rural economy, helping hundreds of distressed women and unemployed girls to achieve economic self- reliance in recent years.
The hapless women are successfully changing their fortunes by sewing garments and other income generating activities, ushering in a new era in rural economy and women empowerment in the north, dubbed as poorest part of the country.
Many of them have already achieved their economic self-reliance by their own initiatives and external assistance from different organisations, which are providing training, inputs and creating marketing facilities for their products to sell.
Over 50,000 distressed women, mostly divorced and unemployed young girls of rural and urban areas, have become partially self- reliant, while many others are following the same suit, making financial contributions to their families.
Nearly a dozen of government departments, as much as local non-government organisations (NGOs) and leading NGOs like Grameen Bank, RDRS, ASA, BRAC, etc. are playing vital role to encourage women through training, credits and supply of inputs including sewing machines.
Production of readymade garments made by handloom fabrics has been growing fast as more widows, divorcees and teenaged girls are becoming interested in engaging in sewing as a profession.
Hundreds of the distressed and unemployed young girls of greater Rangpur have been showing more interests in getting training in preparing ready-made garments in the army-assisted training centres at village Pairaband in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha and other areas.
They are getting jobs at renowned garments factories and abroad after completion of their training courses at these centres being run under the assistance of BKMEA and BGMEA, officials said.
Concerned NGO experts and officials said that the distressed women and girls were showing more interests in sewing profession.
They also expressed the hope that the profession would help women empowerment at the grassroots level.
The female sewers in both rural and urban areas are producing mainly garments like blouse, petticoat, shemiz, kamiz, salwar, scurf, maxi, baby wears, shirts, pants, fotua, caps and other readymade wears.
Women who have marked success said that they are now using sanitary latrines, their children are going to schools, taking care of their health, got access to safe water, preventing child marriage and dowry and feel empowered in family decision making.
With their efforts in the handloom sector, most of the successful women have been cultivating vegetables and fruits at their homesteads.
The hapless women are successfully changing their fortunes by sewing garments and other income generating activities, ushering in a new era in rural economy and women empowerment in the north, dubbed as poorest part of the country.
Many of them have already achieved their economic self-reliance by their own initiatives and external assistance from different organisations, which are providing training, inputs and creating marketing facilities for their products to sell.
Over 50,000 distressed women, mostly divorced and unemployed young girls of rural and urban areas, have become partially self- reliant, while many others are following the same suit, making financial contributions to their families.
Nearly a dozen of government departments, as much as local non-government organisations (NGOs) and leading NGOs like Grameen Bank, RDRS, ASA, BRAC, etc. are playing vital role to encourage women through training, credits and supply of inputs including sewing machines.
Production of readymade garments made by handloom fabrics has been growing fast as more widows, divorcees and teenaged girls are becoming interested in engaging in sewing as a profession.
Hundreds of the distressed and unemployed young girls of greater Rangpur have been showing more interests in getting training in preparing ready-made garments in the army-assisted training centres at village Pairaband in Rangpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha and other areas.
They are getting jobs at renowned garments factories and abroad after completion of their training courses at these centres being run under the assistance of BKMEA and BGMEA, officials said.
Concerned NGO experts and officials said that the distressed women and girls were showing more interests in sewing profession.
They also expressed the hope that the profession would help women empowerment at the grassroots level.
The female sewers in both rural and urban areas are producing mainly garments like blouse, petticoat, shemiz, kamiz, salwar, scurf, maxi, baby wears, shirts, pants, fotua, caps and other readymade wears.
Women who have marked success said that they are now using sanitary latrines, their children are going to schools, taking care of their health, got access to safe water, preventing child marriage and dowry and feel empowered in family decision making.
With their efforts in the handloom sector, most of the successful women have been cultivating vegetables and fruits at their homesteads.