This is a story of Mrs. Shahnaz Hussain, a lady with grit and determination, residing with her 2 children in Bichhdi village of Udaipur in Rajasthan.
She lost her husband 15 years back and then started the ordeal journey of Shahnaz where she has to walk out of her husband’s family with no proper source of income to raise her 2 children all alone. No financial support left Shahnaz to depend on her parental house that was for sure not sufficient for the lifelong sustenance. Education, food for the children, daily expenses, everything needed the money.
Shahnaz was ready to do something of her own that could change her adverse situation. Her determined and focused approach led her to look for options that could bring stability in her life. It is then she became a member of Jai Hind Self Help Group (SHG), a project of Vedanta Hindustan Zinc for bringing socio-economic empowerment in rural women. The SHGs was started with small thrift savings by the women where Shahnaz and other 19 rural women received training on tailoring, embroidery and exclusive pittan work that was beneficial and encouraging.
After improving their skills, Vedanta Hindustan Zinc linked these SHG women with banks for loans, at much subsidize rates, to scale up their small businesses. Gradually, they started preparing ready-made clothes with embroidery and pittan work that could fetch them good price at the local level.
But that was not it; they had to go a long way. Vedanta Hindustan Zinc introduced them to Fabindia – a leading store of hand-made garments. Fabindia team visited Jai Hind SHG and they loved the work pattern and designs of Shahnaz and other fellow members that they instantly placed the order during their 1st visit that still continues.
Through this association, Shahnaz has improved her income up to Rs. 5000 - 6000 per month. Shahnaz is now much more confident, living a happy & dignified life, married her daughter and educating her son while becoming a strong pillar of the family.
Mrs. Shahnaz is one of the founder members of the SHG, now imparts tailoring and embroidery skills to rural women of other Self Help Groups of Vedanta Hindustan Zinc.
Ask Shahnaz, and she proudly says, 'Vedanta gave me economic independence'.
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