Two women, two businesses built by hand
Giving women more opportunities to earn an income makes a significant contribution to development outcomes — but the real gain is in what economic self-sufficiency does for confidence and independence. JSWET's vocational training is one way we put that belief into practice.
Kanagalakshmi
MelakkalAt 35, Kanagalakshmi and her husband relied on daily wage work and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme to get by, raising two daughters. Meeting rent and school costs was a constant struggle. After completing JSWET's sewing and tailoring training, she began taking orders to stitch nightwear — now earning around ₹3,000 a month and covering her household's basic needs. She remains deeply grateful to JSWET for the training that changed her circumstances.
Geetha
MelakkalAt 35, Geetha faced a difficult home life, supporting her two daughters largely on her own with help from her mother, while her husband's alcohol dependence strained the family's finances. After six months of JSWET training, she began stitching school uniforms to order, earning roughly ₹3,000 a month — enough to meet her family's basic needs. She's now planning to expand into nightwear to grow her income further.