Vocational training on garment construction: A pathway to economic empowerment

Introduction

Women play an important role in the economic and social development of any country. In India, nearly half of the population is female, but many women, especially in rural areas, continue to face challenges that limit their growth and independence (Census of India 2011). They have fewer opportunities for education, skill development, and employment compared to men. Due to cultural and social norms, their mobility outside the home is limited, which reduces their exposure and confidence to work independently (Nazir, et. al.,2012) [9] . Most rural women spend their time doing household chores and helping in agriculture, but their work is often not recognized as productive. They lack skills that can help them earn an income and become self-reliant (Devi, U.,2014) [4] . Economic independence is one of the strongest tools for women's empowerment, as it improves their status within the family and community and gives them confidence to make decisions about their lives (Prema B. Patil, 2023) [11] . Clothes are a basic need ofeach individual. Tailoring is a skill which is relatively easier to learn and can be practiced within the safety and comfort of one's home. Women who are training in garment construction can generate a regular stream of income by making it for themselves, their families and other families of the village. Such training not only provides them with a means of livelihood but also enhances their self-confidence and improves their social status (Anju, 2021) [1] . Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) play a major role in building skills among rural women by organising short-term vocational training programmes. These programmes focus on practical learning and motivate women to take up small enterprises for additional income (Bala, K., 2019) [2] . Keeping this in mind, the present study was conducted to assess the impact of garment construction training on rural women. The study aimed to find out whether their knowledge and skills improved after the training, if they adopted tailoring as a source of income, and what challenges they faced in starting their own work.

Methodology

The present study was conducted at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Mandkola, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana state. A total of 60 scheduled caste rural women respondents of Palwal district were selected www.extensionjournal.com purposively, who had basic knowledge of paddling the machine. Interested women were selected and divided into two groups having 30 respondents in each group. A fivedays training program was organized separately for each group at KVK, Mandkola. The knowledge of women enhanced through motivational lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on training. Training were conducted on simple and designer ladies suit, Pent and flared palazzo, Jacket, Blouse & Petticoat, Cutting & Stitching of Bag and cushion cover, embellishment of clothes and other domestic utility items in order to pursuit their own enterprise. Printed literature related to training was also provided to each participant. Impact of the training was assessed in-terms of knowledge gain,Perceived benefits and adoption of garment construction as an entrepreneurial activity. The data were collected personally before training and aftersix month of training by using pre-structured interview schedule.

Data analysis

The collected data were compiled and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. Frequency and percentage were calculated to present the distribution of responses. Gain in knowledge was calculated by comparing pre-and post-training scores. Mean scores were used to rank the usefulness of different activities as income-generating options.

Results

Table 1 shows the women's knowledge about garment construction and their entrepreneurial potential. The highest ability of tailoring was observed in stitching of pent and flared palazzo, which improved from 11.7% to 90%, followed by simple ladies suit, which increased from 10% to 86.7%. Ability to stitch a jacket increased from zero to 85%, and designer suit increased from 3.33% to 71.7%. The knowledge gain was recorded between 65% and 85%, indicating a very high level of improvement. Similarly, the knowledge score regarding cutting and stitching of bag and cushion cover before imparting training ranged between 3.33% to 15%, which improved significantly to 71.7%-100%. The highest gain in knowledge was observed in jute bag making (93.33%), followed by cotton picking bag (73.3%), multipurpose bag (70.0%), and school bag (68.3%). Training also covered value addition of clothes, leading to significant improvements in skills such as hand embroidery (3.33% to 41.66%), sequencing (3.33% to 55%), and tie & dye (zero to 85%). Knowledge gain was improved significantly up to 85.0 percent. Table 2 shows the preferential choice of women regarding usefulness of garment construction. Majority of women reported that stitching of designer suit was very useful and received Rank I (MS 3.11), followed by simple ladies suit (MS 2.93). For cutting and stitching of bags, and cushion cover, multipurpose bags occupied first ranked (MS 3.33) which was followed by cushion cover (MS 3.21), jute bag (MS 3.16), and cotton picking bag (MS 3.08). Lowest rank was allotted to School bags (MS 2.91). Non availability of raw material in village itself and high cost of material might be the reason. On the other hand sequencing got first rank with MS 3.23 followed by hand embroidery (MS 3.13) and Tie and dye is on third rank. www.extensionjournal.com 4 shows that after training, 35% of respondents adopted stitching for household purpose, 31.7% stitched bags and ladies suits for commercial purposes at home, and 21.6% ran their own tailoring shop in their village. However, 11.7% did not adopt tailoring due to lack of family cooperation and credit facilities. Table 5 shows that 100% of respondents felt that the training duration was very short. Other constraints included less time for household activities (90.6%), not getting the right price (87.5%), tough market competition (78.1%), hard work (81.2%), availability of high-quality readymade garments (84.3%), and irregular work availability (84.3%).

Discussion

The findings of this study show that garment construction training significantly improved the technical knowledge and skills of rural women. The gain in knowledge and skills due to vocational training show that short-term trainings can empower women by equipping them with essential skills. After exposure to the trainings, women developed a better understanding and were able to stitch different types of garments and bags. www.extensionjournal.com

The results of our study are in line with the study by Purohit et al. (2016) [12] , who reported that 88.23 percent of respondents had increased knowledge about stitching activity and 76.47 percent learned drafting and stitching of new garments such as jhabla, frock, lehenga, petticoat, salwar suit, gown, blouse, and rajputi dress during training. Similar trends were observed by Devi et al. (2020) [3] , who found significant gain in knowledge of rural women regarding preparation of creative trimming, designing techniques, and surface embellishment techniques. Anju et al. (2021) [1] also reported that in their experimental group, 86.66 percent and 60.0 percent of respondents had high levels of skill in jute bag and hand bag making. These findings are further supported by studies conducted by Nazir et al. (2012) [9] , Sabharwal et al. (2012) [13] , and Malabasari et al. (2016) [7] , who highlighted the effectiveness of skillbased training programmes in enhancing knowledge and skills among rural women. Regarding perceived benefits, most women felt that training enhanced their knowledge about stitching clothes, improved their efficiency in drafting and cutting, and built confidence to stitch suits without any help. Many respondents also acquired efficiency in bag making and learned new designing of garments. However, despite these improvements, women faced some constraints in adopting tailoring as a full-time income-generating activity. These included short training duration, lack of time due to household responsibilities, not getting the right price for their work, tough market competition, and unavailability of regular work. Similar constraints were reported by Purohit et al. (2016) [12] , who mentioned that lack of time due to sewing work and difficulty in managing household tasks were problems faced by many respondents, and that it takes time to gain credibility among customers. Overall, the study shows that garment construction training plays an important role in empowering rural women by enhancing their skills, building confidence, and providing them with an opportunity to earn an income. Addressing the constraints identified in this study can further strengthen tailoring as a sustainable livelihood option for women and help them achieve economic independence.

Conclusion

On the basis of the above findings it could be concluded that there was increase in the knowledge of respondents on cutting and stitching of garments, different designs of bags, cushion cover and embellishment of clothes.Majority of people adopted it as income generating activity. During this journey respondents faced some problems in running their tailoring enterprise, like not getting payment in time, tough competition in the market and less time left for household activities. Despite these problems, women perceived that training was helpful in acquiring efficiency in drafting and cutting and stitching of garments. It was also helpful as they learned new designs of garments. Tailoring helped them in earning money for their better livelihood and has transformed their lives. Many women were able to setup a profitable venture.

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