look news india
Greater Noida, 26 September. What once started as a hobby has now become a business. Some started their own business by applying painting on clothes, while some joined a self-help group and showed other women the path to self-reliance. The stories of women entrepreneurs from different districts of the state who came to the UP International Trade Show are presenting a new picture of women empowerment. Their products are getting international market and women are now not only making the products but also handling the responsibility of their branding, sales and market expansion.
Harpreet Kaur, who came from Kankarkheda, Meerut, has reached the trade show with various artefacts and trophies made of brass through her firm Soul for Earth. She says that Yogi government has given women an opportunity to showcase their talent and products on a big platform. He said that their products are now reaching the markets of other countries. According to him, this expansion has been possible due to the opportunities provided by the policies of the state government.
Turned hobby into business, provided employment to seven women
Anjali, who came from Bajaria, Ghaziabad, has brought the products of painting done on clothes through Anjali Creation. He was fond of painting, which he turned into a venture. Taking a loan from District Village Industries Development, he started painting on plain clothes. Today their ready-made suits, dupattas, jeans and trousers are being sold for up to Rs 10,000. According to Anjali, with the growth of her business, she is now providing regular employment to seven other women.
Pratibha Tyagi, who came from Vasundhara, Ghaziabad, has reached the trade show with handmade suits, dupattas, lehengas and various types of bags made of jute through Pratibha Designer Hub. Their business focuses on connecting handmade products to the market. In trade shows they are getting an opportunity to connect with new customers and the market.
Self-help groups changed the economic picture of women
Sitara from Nangla Govindpur of Bulandshahr has come to the trade show with bedsheets. She runs a livelihood self-help group. 13 women are associated with his group. Sitara says that the women of the group are taking forward their work by taking advantage of the schemes of the Yogi government and are becoming financially self-reliant. For them, the group is not only becoming a medium to produce products but also a platform to provide a permanent source of income to women.
Sudha Saini, who came from Nangal area of Saharanpur, has reached the trade show with various handicraft products. She runs Chalori Self Help Group and is participating in the trade show organized in Noida for the fourth consecutive time. According to Sudha, this platform has played an important role in taking her products out of the local market and reaching the wider and international market.
These stories of women entrepreneurs and self-help groups reflect a similar change—women are no longer limited to just designing products. They are running businesses, exploring markets and also creating employment opportunities for other women. Apart from being a sales platform for them, the UP International Trade Show is also becoming an opportunity to market their products to buyers across the country and the world and connect with new markets. The scope of economic participation of women is continuously increasing with the schemes of the state government and the platforms providing such markets.