Sewing success: 35 women empowered through tailoring training at DDUCC Wahiajer

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 7, 2025

A seven-day skill-based training programme in tailoring concluded successfully at the Pt. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Community and Skill Development Center (DDUCC), Wahiajer, on September 4, 2025. Organised by DDUCC, a constituent college of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), the programme trained 35 women from Wahiajer and neighbouring areas of Jaintia Hills, equipping them with practical tailoring skills and entrepreneurial knowledge.

Held from August 28 to September 4 at the DDUCC Community Hall, the programme combined hands-on demonstrations with interactive sessions led by resource persons. Participants gained insights into the technical aspects of tailoring, small business management, and the opportunities emerging in the fashion and garment sector.

At the valedictory function, attended by an official from the Department of Industries, Government of Meghalaya, dignitaries highlighted tailoring as a trade that connects tradition with economic opportunity. Dr. F. R. Sumer, Principal in-charge of DDUCC, Prof. H. Lamin, retired founder Principal in-charge, and Shri Andrew Sari, Secretary of Wahiajer, stressed that tailoring has long been a respected craft in the subcontinent and continues to thrive in today’s fashion-driven economy.

The Chief Guest urged participants to translate their skills into entrepreneurship, encouraging them to use digital tools such as mobile technology and the internet to market their work and access government schemes. “A calculated risk is worth taking if it helps you stand on your own feet,” he told the trainees, urging them to see tailoring as a viable livelihood option.

The programme also linked tailoring with women’s empowerment, emphasising how skill upgradation provides women with financial independence and strengthens communities. For participants, especially from rural areas, tailoring represents both a source of income and an avenue to preserve and innovate upon indigenous designs of Jaintia Hills.

Certificates were distributed to the trainees at the closing ceremony. The enthusiasm of the women impressed the dignitaries, who praised their dedication to mastering a skill that can open doors to both local and global markets.

Programme Coordinator Wolnish Rymbai thanked the participants and dignitaries, noting that the initiative aligns with DDUCC’s mission under NEHU and the National Education Policy 2020 to promote vocational education. “By offering women real-world skills, we are not only supporting individual livelihoods but also empowering communities,” he said.

The training showcased how skill development initiatives can transform traditional trades like tailoring into engines of economic growth and women’s entrepreneurship in Meghalaya