Using the humble thread and needle, artisan Ruma Devi not only achieved personal glory, she also made more than 20,000 rural women financially independent. The Rajasthani trailblazer spoke to Brut about her inspiring journey.
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00:00Because the journey started with 10 women and today it is 22,000 plus.
00:04Music
00:27I am an artist.
00:29You are working with more than 11,000 women and empowering them.
00:36Music
00:54Even after marriage, our financial situation was not good.
00:57When I had my first child, I couldn't save her.
01:00At that time, I was very sad that I had to lose my mother and then my child.
01:06At that time, I was broken.
01:08Music
01:20When I started this work, I didn't know that it was a small job.
01:28Music
01:36After buying the machine, 10 women started working.
01:39But the problem was that it was not easy to get work for 10 women.
01:43Then I looked for a market.
01:46And someone told me that the village development organization, of which I am now the president,
01:51told me that it works for women.
01:54If you go to them, maybe you can get help.
01:57Music
02:13We used to go by bus and then walk to their house.
02:16And after going to their house, the family members used to say,
02:20why did you come here? I don't know what you will learn and go.
02:22Tomorrow they will listen to us or not.
02:25But every woman wanted to work.
02:29So, looking at their feelings, we talked to them, their family members,
02:34that they don't have to go anywhere.
02:36Whatever work they do at home, they will get 2-3 hours a day.
02:42Music
02:50I meet women all the time.
02:52We inspire them to work.
02:54And after that, we give them training.
02:57How to make a product according to the market.
02:59For example, a dresser saree, its fabric is very expensive.
03:04But how to care for it.
03:06We give them training.
03:08Then we give them designing training.
03:10And then we get them linked to the market.
03:40Music
03:42We have never even been to the city in the mountains.
03:45So, how will we go directly to Delhi?
03:47How will we talk to people there?
03:49We were very scared.
03:51And the biggest thing is whether the family members will send us or not.
03:54Whether our dream will come true or not.
03:57We reached Delhi and set up a store.
04:00After that, when our customers came,
04:02they also felt that they have come from the village, they are scared.
04:06Music
04:31We do fashion shows all over the world.
04:35And we promote the products of artisans.
04:38Along with that, we get artisans to work with models.
04:44Because the real designers are our artisans.
04:48So, a lot of designers have also started following this.
04:52Music
04:59We were on the KBC stage.
05:01We sat with Abhita Bachchan.
05:03At first, we were scared that how will we talk to such big people.
05:06But Abhita Bachchan talks so well.
05:10We sat with him and talked.
05:12And he told everyone about his craft.
05:15We felt very good.
05:17Music
05:29There has been a change in thinking.
05:31We could not study, but we will definitely teach our daughters.
05:36I am proud that the work we have started is going in the right direction.