In Jamui district of Bihar, a daughter-in-law has done something many women in the villages around her would not even dare to attempt. Soni Devi, from Jamui, refused to be confined by the restrictions that come with married life and instead built her own identity through sheer skill. Today she runs her own business and has trained more than two dozen girls from her neighbourhood in tailoring, opening up a path to earning for them as well.
Breaking away from the veil tradition
In many villages, it is still not easy for a new bride to step out of the house after marriage. Staying veiled and handling household chores alone is considered the tradition, and it continues to hold in several villages even today. Soni Devi, who lives in the Khaira block of Jamui district, chose a different path altogether. Despite every restriction placed on her after marriage, she was determined to prove herself, and today she stands firmly on her own feet while also serving as an example for other girls and women in her area.
The sewing machine she brought from her parents' home
Soni Devi got married to Raju Kumar in 2011. After the wedding she moved to her husband's home, carrying with her a sewing machine from her parents' house, a machine that would go on to change her life. As the family's financial needs grew after marriage, running the household began to get difficult. That is when Soni Devi decided to leave the restrictions of married life behind and start earning on her own. She had been interested in tailoring and embroidery since childhood, and that very interest eventually became her biggest source of income.
Finding her real talent through Jeevika
In 2016, Soni Devi joined the Bambam Jeevika self help group. Jeevika works to make rural women financially independent through self help groups, and after joining this group, Soni Devi recognised the talent she had within her and began learning tailoring formally. Slowly, several girls from the village started coming to her sewing centre. Soni Devi says she began with just one sewing machine. Today she owns more than four sewing machines and trains girls at her own home. So far she has taught tailoring to more than two dozen girls from the village.
Training since 2018, machines bought from her own earnings
Soni Devi formally started her tailoring training work in 2018. It has now been about 9 years since she began this work, and she continues to teach tailoring to girls and young women without a break. She said she bought every single sewing machine from her own earnings, and gradually expanded her business on the strength of that income.
Took a loan from Jeevika to get her sister in law married
Soni Devi took a loan of about Rs 150000 from Jeevika to get her sister in law married, and she has since repaid the entire loan on time. Besides this, she also took several other loans from time to time to expand her business further, and she has paid back all of that money as well.
Big wedding season orders, children's education and savings
Along with teaching tailoring at her centre, Soni Devi also takes on large orders during the wedding season, which brings her good earnings. With this income, she is not only running her family but also educating her children, and she is putting aside good savings for several plans she has for the future.
Planning to expand further
Soni Devi said that in the coming days she wants to take her business even further, so that she can earn better and bring more and more girls from around her into employment.
