Stitching New Futures: How Skill Training Is Empowering Women Through Mission Yogya

Beauty Gupta, a resident of Noida Sector 49 (originally from Banaras), and Uma from Ballia, a 28-year-old woman who migrated to the city with her family to provide better educational opportunities for her three young daughters (all under the age of 14), have made their way towards financial independence after joining a free sewing programme at BN Welfare Foundation’s  “Mission Yogya” skill training centre. They had joined with hesitation, but today both are working independently, helping their families financially, giving the best education, and have become an inspiration for others by encouraging more women to earn.

Beauty completed her training in just 45 days and proved her dedication that impressed her teachers. During her stint at the centre, she not only learnt sewing but also helped new trainees, managed machines, and assisted with cutting. Seeing her skills in mobilising students, the centre offered her work as a mobiliser on a per-candidate basis. She accepted and soon started bringing many new admissions, earning additional income.

Her confidence grew when she got a placement in Maral Overseas Pvt. Limited with a salary of Rs 14,500. But she continued mobilising locally because she enjoyed the work. When her training centre closed, she felt disheartened, but by then she had gathered the courage to take her next step.

With savings and a loan taken by her husband, Beauty opened a small boutique. In the first month, even after paying Rs 6,000 rent, she earned Rs 7,500. ‘This new small venture gave me belief—I can do this,’ she says. From that boutique, she has started earning Rs 15,000–Rs 16,000 per month.

Uma’s story is no different; it is an example for many more women who face difficulties in giving proper education to their children. She has migrated from Ballia to the city with her husband, who earns Rs 12,000 per month, hoping to secure a better future for her three daughters. Keeping her dreams not too high but to get a quality education for her daughters, she, in September 2024, enrolled in the Sewing Machine Operator course and successfully completed her training in December. As the Centre has multiple tie-ups with SBA Exports, Maral Overseas, and many boutiques in the area, she was also offered a job at Maral Overseas Company with a Rs. 13,000 salary; however, her family responsibilities restrict her from accepting it. But it didn’t hold her back. In her pursuit of dreams, she bought a second-hand sewing machine and began accepting tailoring jobs from the locale. Soon, embroidery service was added to her list, and Rs. 5,000-10,000 are earned monthly, which supports the children's education and alleviates the family finances.

Like Beauty and Uma, many others have turned their training into livelihoods. Such skills not only provide employment, in fact, they become micro-businesses that provide jobs to others as well. Sunita Awasthi is a person who received training from the centre and started her own business, and after receiving an order to stitch school uniform, she did not work alone—she employed five other women, establishing the “Anjali Stitching Shop.” Such stories illustrate not just individual empowerment but also the multiplier effect skill training creates in communities.

Skill Connect
In 2015, the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), a flagship scheme, was launched with the purpose of providing free short-term skill training and monetary incentives to encourage youth to acquire industry-relevant skills, ultimately boosting their employability. The above two examples fall under the same scheme and are run under the banner of Mission Yogya, an initiative by BN Welfare Foundation. The Foundation’s Director, Manas Raghuvanshi, said that they work within the PMKVY framework, extending its reach into areas where opportunities are scarce. 

Manas Raghuvanshi further explained that the team undertake thorough need assessment, scouting for new centres in semi-urban and rural areas. “Our mission is to reach communities in villages and smaller towns where training can truly transform lives. The focus is on skilling youth and women of the underserved communities and provide them with employment opportunities” he said.

During the year 2024–25, Mission Yogya trained a total of 200 beneficiaries under three skill development programmes, which included Sewing Machine Operator (SMO), Data Entry Operator (DEO), and General Duty Assistant (GDA). Out of these, 173 successfully secured placements, while 27 candidates dropped out. This reflects an overall placement percentage of 86.5%. This year, the centre has targeted to achieve the same number with a new centre, and so far, it has enrolled over 40 candidates, including 22 women.

This concept helps women redefine their identities by giving them exposure and confidence in addition to practical skills. Credibility is further ensured by certification from the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), which allows trained women to start their own enterprises or obtain employment in structured areas.

There is always a purpose behind government schemes, not only to achieve goals but also to ensure a secure and basic life while addressing emotional and social challenges. The NSDC (National Skill Development Corporation) certifications under PMKVY and Skill India programmes give credibility and employability to the beneficiaries. Mission Yogya provides certification to all Mission Yogya beneficiaries to help them secure formal employment in organized sectors, as employers increasingly recognise and prefer certified candidates for roles in manufacturing, IT/ITES, retail, and other industries.

“Before joining Mission Yogya, many of the women were either unemployed, engaged in irregular low-paying work, or confined to domestic responsibilities,” said BN welfare foundation Director Mr. Raghuvanshi. He said that they did not have access to skill training, exposure, or financial independence. These women have, since admission, acquired valuable vocations, confidence, and a newfound feeling of ownership. Many contribute financially to their households, work on small business ideas, or are employed in formal sectors, leading to a huge shift in their socio-economic status.

The numbers underline the social and economic impact. India’s per capita income currently stands at around Rs 2.12 lakh per annum, as per the 2023–24 survey, and is projected to reach Rs 14.9 lakh by 2047, according to DD News. Such skill centres can make this possible by adding additional or primary income to an individual’s bucket.

The additional income has brought much-needed financial relief to many families, especially in single-income or women-led households. It has helped cover children's education expenses, healthcare costs, and improved overall living conditions. Women have, in some cases, become main earners, with several others who previously did not earn are now earning Rs 11,500 and above. Decision-making power through this has entered their families while thereby instilling greater security and stability for the children.

The stories of Beauty, Uma, and Sunita highlight how skill development programmes are more than just training—they are life-changing interventions that ripple outward. A trained woman not only uplifts herself but also motivates her family and community. This creates networks of empowerment, where one success story sparks another.

The journey ahead is equally significant. With India aiming for a developed economy status by 2047, women’s participation in the workforce will be critical. Programmes like Mission Yogya bridge the gap between aspiration and opportunity, especially for women in marginalised sections. “When we think of development, we must think of women as active contributors. Skill training is one of the most effective ways to bring them into the mainstream,” Raghuvanshi noted.

More women with a range of interests and skills will be able to pursue independence through these initiatives. In a nation where GDP figures are frequently used to gauge economic growth, similar tales of women like Sunita, Rajni and Preeti's serve as a reminder that real progress comes from personal empowerment. Every little business that employs other women, every thrift store that turns an old sewing machine into a revenue stream, and every boutique all help the nation grow.

Skill development, when rooted in community needs and delivered with sensitivity, has the power to transform not just economies but lives. Programmes like Mission Yogya show that stitching clothes can also stitch dreams, resilience, and a new future for countless women across India.