Protibha

Employment eventually brings empowerment. 98% of men who joined the Protibha workshops were convinced to send their wives to the Arts and Crafts training programs. The training programs give potential women hands-on training in sewing, stitching, crocheting, hand-block printing and traditional hand-paint. The 3-5 months long training curriculums utilize instructions, modeling, practicing, and feedback in order to teach a new skill. As Protibha is a marketplace for the trained artisans to sell their handmade items, it is ensuring a sustainable earning opportunity for them. This has increased the social and financial standards of the beneficiary women. Each trainee now earns BDT 750-8000 ($93) per month depending on skills and orders.

The training programs so far have provided crafting skill to 132 women in 4 different locations. 72% of trained women have become small household entrepreneurs and 15% have taken jobs in related fields. The women are happy about being able to generate income while working from home. The burden of additional income on children has been reduced.

The successes of women employment have been reflected in their socio-economic developments. The economic solvency and changes in the homestead and the enterprise, speak of their untiring efforts and the urge for a better life. Similar are the social and socio-psychological changes where even the gain in the courage to talk with people regarding business or any trade and the knowledge to distinguish between good and bad investments and transactions, are great achievements.