Uma Ben Uma Ben was married off at a very tender age of 14 and lost her husband after 8 years of marriage, leaving behind 4 children. It was really tough and challenging for her to look after her kids and earn the livelihood on her own. Due to lack of money, her three sons grew-up to be daily wage laborers with their combined monthly income ranging from Rs. 3500-4000. Living near to the Indo-Pak border in the remote Kuran village of Kutch district, she had lost hope for any chances for a better life. But destiny had other Plans. 10 years ago, at the old age of 55 years Uma came to know about Sewa International’s Women Empowerment program from her friends, running in nearby villages. She hasn’t looked back since and has been a committed partner with Sewa International. She gleefully tells that Sewa has played a pivotal role in enhancing her skills and making her self-sustainable and self-reliant. Over the years, she has received various trainings from Sewa International, especially training on design and development, color combination and value addition. She also participated in Entrepreneurship Development Program and Technical Training Programs organized by the Sewa International. She is now Master Trainer in Pakko embroidery and imparts training to other women artisans. Presently, she is managing a group of 80–85 women. She continuously provides support to each member of her group. She mentioned that even though she is old (65 years now), but everyone in Sewa International as well as the local community, respect her dedication and commitment towards preserving and teaching embroidery to the next generation. |