In the western region of Meerut, a significant trend towards entrepreneurship is emerging among women, who are now pursuing professional training to step confidently into the business world. This transformation is clearly visible in the Nagli village of Meerut, where local women are crafting various types of statues as a means to secure a brighter future for themselves and their families. This initiative serves as a practical route for those seeking economic self-reliance through their own professional endeavors.
Statue Making as a Profitable Business
Babita, who is currently undergoing training in statue manufacturing, shared that this craft offers a highly promising business alternative. She noted that women from a nearby village had previously obtained similar training and launched their own ventures. Today, that group employs over 10 women, and they are generating an annual turnover worth lakhs of rupees. Motivated by their success, Babita encouraged the women in her own village to undertake the same training. At present, more than 50 women are actively participating in the program.
Balancing Household Responsibilities with Income
Sanjana, another participant, explained that traditional 9-to-5 jobs outside the home are often difficult to maintain due to family obligations. However, this training provided her with the flexibility she needed. She explained that she pursues her training only after completing her daily household chores. Remarkably, she has already started earning money through her work. Because these handcrafted statues are in high demand in the local market, she is seeing consistent financial returns. She emphasized that if more women could start small businesses from their own homes, they would undoubtedly be able to provide a much better future for their children. Hina added that it takes only about 20 minutes to prepare a finished statue.
6-Month Monitoring and Trade Fair Access
Deepak Vikal, an official from the Aksh Education Society, explained that the training is provided to help women become self-reliant in accordance with government guidelines. He pointed out that previous batches have also received training in this craft, leading to success stories like that of Sonia, who formed a group and successfully established a large startup. Through this, she now manages a business with an annual turnover of lakhs. The program ensures that every woman who completes the training receives six months of ongoing monitoring. Furthermore, they are provided with stalls at various national and international trade fairs to help them scale their business. These decorative statues are highly sought after by customers due to their intricate designs, which adds significantly to the aesthetic appeal of homes.
