Colours of life: How this eight hearing-impaired women stitched a new future through skill training in Malappuram

A tailoring course offered by Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) has helped eight hearing-impaired women move from depending on their families for money to earning an income of their own. Together, they have set up Colours, a stitching unit at Nilambur that gives them a way to put their skills to work and support their families.

Sabna V.K., Ramya A., Afeefa K., Sameena M.K., Nimmy N., Rajeena P., Salma V.P., and Sajeena C. began ‘Colours’ after completing the assistant dress maker course at the Nilambur training centre of JSS, Malappuram.

Before joining the course, all eight were homemakers. The training introduced them to tailoring and gave them the skills to take up stitching work. They decided to build on what they had learnt by starting a business together.

Now, the women share the work at Colours and earn through their tailoring skills. Their income helps them meet household expenses and reduces their dependence on their families for financial support.

“Earlier, we depended on our families for money. Now, we can earn through our own work and contribute to our household expenses,” they said.

Starting a business together has allowed them to put their skills to use while sharing the responsibilities of running the unit. Their experience shows how vocational training can help women with disabilities find work and build a livelihood.

For the women, the course was a step towards earning on their own. The stitching unit has given them an opportunity to use their skills in everyday life rather than letting their training end with a certificate.

“We learnt tailoring through the course. Starting Colours gave us a chance to use those skills to earn,” they said.

JSS, Malappuram, provides skill training to people from disadvantaged communities, with a focus on women and persons with disabilities. Its courses aim to help trainees find work or start small businesses.

JSS chairman P.V. Abdul Wahab, MP, said skill training could help women become financially independent. “It gives women the skills to earn and support their families,” he said.

JSS director V. Ummer Koya said the aim was to help trainees turn their learning into a livelihood. “Training makes a difference when people can use their skills to earn a living,” he said.