Sarthak for Women by Women

Empowering Women : Environmental Sustainability & Livelihood for Migrant Women

Sarthak Mission aligns with the plastic free campaign by emphasising Recycle & Reuse of fabric, it connects the cause of environmental sustainability with sustainable livelihood for migrant women and girls. Working towards UN SDGs 1, 8 and 11 — No Poverty, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Sustainable Cities — the programme builds skills, income, and business acumen among women while promoting environmentally responsible practices. This aligns with SADRAG’s larger mission of strengthening women’s capacities through education, health, and livelihood support

Misson: Sarthak for Women upcycle old & worn fabric – into bags, pouches, doormats, hair scrunchies and other reusable products, into skill and self-reliance. The programme offers a space where women learn stitching, build livelihood skills, and move steadily towards financial independence, with zero investment in raw material provided to them, so their journey to independence begins without any financial burden.

Sarthak Approach

Outreach & Mobilisation of Women → Skill Training → Upcycling Discarded Fabric → Promoting Recycling & Reuse → Marketing the recycled items of daily use →inculcating business acumen → building marketable channels → flow of income for sustainable livelihood Women-led Leadership & Ownership

Trained 350+ Women; Since April 2023

Sarthak Components

1. Skill & Livelihood :

Every woman begins with a needle and thread — and ends with an income while saving the environment. Training in stitching and tailoring flows directly into production and marketing, turning recycled cloth into bags and everyday essentials, and skill into sustainable earning.

2. Building Zero investment Business :

Skill alone isn't enough — women are equipped to run it as a business. Through financial literacy and the formation of business and economic groups, Sarthak lays the foundation for enterprises that are owned, run, and led by women.Raw material is sourced entirely through cloth donation drives held with corporates, residential colonies, and universities — turning everyday citizens and institutions into partners in the cause, ensuring the programme runs on zero capital investment in raw material.

3. Social Empowerment :

Independence goes beyond income. Regular sessions on reproductive health, gender-based violence, hygiene, and business processes build women who are not just earning — but informed, confident, and ready to lead in their homes and communities.

Grassroots Partners & Community Engagement :

Sarthak is rooted in the community it serves. Women are identified and mobilised through existing local networks, door-to-door outreach, and community meetings (Samvads), with active engagement of local community leaders.

Vimla : An Epitome of Strength

For years, Vimla’s world revolved around home and daily responsibilities. Confined within the four walls of her house, her days were built around household chores — cooking, cleaning, dusting, and waking early to get everyone else in the family to get started on their day. Learning a new skill for herself was never something she had imagined. Bound by rigid gender expectations, she could never have pictured herself as a breadwinner — someone who makes financial decisions for the family, let alone someone who earns money. That changed when she learned about women’s empowerment and how SADRAG’s programme could be a turning point for any woman willing to give a few hours of her time to learn at the women’s centre.

Today, after several months at SADRAG’s Sarthak for Women Centre in Nagla Charandas, she spends her time sewing, crocheting, learning, and creating — with confidence. What has changed isn’t just her skillset, but the way she sees herself. The hesitation is fading. With every stitch, Ms. Vimla is building something larger than fabric or thread — she is rebuilding belief in herself. Across communities, many women are taking similar first steps toward independence, visibility, and self-confidence. Now she’s self reliant and self sufficient. Today, she earns regularly and contributes to her household, while also inspiring other women in her community.

These stories may seem small from the outside, but they carry deep change within — stories of women, for women, and by women stepping out of their comfort zones to take charge and authority over their own lives.