'Empowering women through skill development crucial for economic independence'

Srinagar, Oct 15: To encourage community development and capacity building, particularly in uplifting marginalised groups through skill-based training programmes, the University of Kashmir (KU), recently organised a workshop for aspiring women entrepreneurs from the Upskilling Centre for Cutting and Tailoring, Bazipora, Bandipora.

The daylong event, organised by KU’s Centre for Capacity Building and Skill Development (CCBSD) and held in collaboration with the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), aimed to connect the trained participants with various district welfare departments and schemes to support their entrepreneurial journeys.

25 participants, who had undergone training under the CCBSD’s ‘Upskilling Programme on Cutting and Tailoring’, attended the workshop conducted at Boys’ Middle School, Bazipora.

KU Vice Chancellor, Prof Nilofer Khan, e-inaugurated the programme in November 2023 as a pilot initiative in partnership with SIDBI to empower underprivileged girls from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities of Bazipora.

Upon completing the training, each participant was provided with a sewing machine to help them start their own small businesses.

In her message, KU Vice Chancellor, Prof Nilofer Khan, expressed her appreciation for the efforts to uplift the aspiring women entrepreneurs of Bazipora,.

She said, “Empowering women through skill development is crucial for encouraging economic independence and growth. KU remains committed to supporting young women as they take confident steps toward entrepreneurship.”

She encourages the skilled women to take full advantage of the schemes and opportunities presented to them, assuring them of continued support from KU and collaborating partners.

General Manager, District Industries and Commerce (DIC), Bandipora, Mushtaq Ahmad, who chaired the programme, emphasised the importance of skill development for women in rural areas.

He said, “This programme is a step towards economic empowerment for women in Bandipora. Our departments will continue to support these entrepreneurs by providing access to relevant schemes and resources.”

Career Counselling Officer, Directorate of Employment and Counselling (DEC), Bandipora, Mohammad Yousuf Khan, highlighted various beneficial schemes available for skilled women, such as Yuva SHGs (Self-Help Groups).

“Our aim is to provide a solid foundation for these aspiring entrepreneurs by connecting them with government schemes that can facilitate their journey in the tailoring trade,” he said.

Coordinator, National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), Bandipora, Shabir Ahmad, assured the participants of full cooperation from the NRLM in terms of training and financial assistance.

“Our mission is to help these women build sustainable livelihoods and become financially self-reliant. The NRLM will offer its resources to support these start-ups,” he maintained.

In a separate statement, Director, CCBSD, KU, Dr Aadil Bashir, expressed gratitude to the district officers and collaborating partners for their support in making the programme a success.

Project Officers, CCBSD, Mohammad Yousuf and Manzoor Ahmad, and Programme Associate, CCBSD, Shumila Shamim, spoke about the significance of the programme and outlined the objective of the initiative.

Various district officers, representatives from DIC, DEC and NRLM, Bandipora, attended the programme.