CHURANDA (URI), November 6: In a remote village along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Uri sector, a room filled with sewing machines is offering young women something that has long been scarce — an opportunity to learn a skill, earn an income and build an identity of their own.
At an Army-supported sewing centre in Churanda, around 16 to 17 girls are learning stitching and tailoring, hoping to turn their newly acquired skills into a source of livelihood without having to leave their village.
For women in the border village, geographical isolation, limited employment opportunities and poor access to vocational institutions have often restricted their options for learning professional skills and earning an independent income. The centre is seeking to bridge that gap by bringing vocational training closer to their homes.
The trainees are being taught by Saima, a local woman who has taken up the responsibility of imparting tailoring skills. For her, the initiative goes beyond teaching girls to stitch clothes; it is about giving them the confidence and ability to become financially independent.
“Earlier, many girls would remain at home without any work. They had very few opportunities to learn something or do anything independently. Now, with the centre opening, they come here, learn sewing and can eventually start working from their homes,” Saima told Kashmir Convener.
She said tailoring could help women earn while remaining close to their families and communities.
“Not every girl gets an opportunity to go outside the village for studies or employment. But if she learns tailoring, she can do the work from her own home. She can stitch clothes for people and earn something through her own efforts,” she said.
The centre has also provided the girls with a shared space to learn, interact and spend their time acquiring a practical skill.
Saima said around 16 to 17 girls were attending the training and showing keen interest in learning the craft. Her aim, she added, was to equip them with skills that could eventually help them work independently.
For the trainees, the centre represents an opportunity to move beyond the limited choices available in their village.
Kulsuma, one of the girls undergoing training, said the facility had given local women an opportunity they had long needed.
“Earlier, many girls would sit at home because there was nothing available for them to learn. Now we have a place where we can come, learn sewing and utilise our time in a productive way. It gives us hope that we can do something on our own in the future,” she said.
Thanking the Army for supporting the initiative, Kulsuma said the centre had encouraged girls in the village to think about becoming self-reliant.
“The Army has done a very good job for us by providing this centre. We are grateful that they have thought about girls living in a remote village like ours. We are learning a skill which can help us earn in the future,” she said.
She also appreciated their instructor’s efforts in teaching them the basics of stitching.
“Our instructor teaches us with patience. We are learning step by step. We hope that after completing the training, we will be able to stitch clothes ourselves and earn from this work,” she added.
The initiative is part of the Army’s broader community outreach efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in villages close to the LoC, where difficult terrain, inadequate infrastructure and limited connectivity often restrict access to education, healthcare and employment.
Through Operation Sadbhavana and other outreach programmes, the Army has undertaken initiatives in education, healthcare, vocational training and livelihood generation in remote and underserved areas.
In north Kashmir’s Gurez Valley, Army-supported programmes have included training in tailoring, embroidery and computer skills. Women have also been encouraged to explore income-generating activities, including detergent-making, to create livelihood opportunities within their communities.
Similarly, the Chinar YUVA Centre at Dangiwacha in north Kashmir has focused on vocational education, entrepreneurship and skill development among local youth, including women.
For women in border areas, such initiatives carry particular significance as geographical isolation, difficult transportation and limited access to employment centres often make pursuing jobs or vocational courses outside their villages challenging.
An official told Kashmir Convener that skills such as tailoring and embroidery could allow women to earn from home, balance household responsibilities and contribute to their families’ incomes.
However, turning vocational training into sustainable livelihoods will require more than teaching basic skills. Access to sewing machines, raw materials, financial assistance, advanced training and markets for finished products will be crucial in helping the trainees establish viable sources of income.
Ultimately, the success of the Churanda centre will be measured not merely by the number of girls completing the training but by how many are able to turn their skills into independent earnings.
For now, in a village where opportunities for young women remain limited, the sewing machines offer a promising beginning — giving them a skill, a sense of purpose and the possibility of earning on their own.
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