Established by the education ministry in 2016, the Community Learning Centre in Samdrup Jongkhar, is playing a key role in shaping people’s lives. It has so far helped empower some 30 individuals to become economically independent and live a better life.
Among them are the four women, who are running a successful tailor shop, based in Samdrup Jongkhar thromde. They opened the shop in 2020 after undergoing a yearlong tailoring course at the Community Learning Centre.
Today, each one of them earns a monthly income of about Nu 20,000 from the shop, which helps them run their houses.
Kangur Wangmo, who co-owns the tailor shop with three other women, shared how the business made her financially independent.
“I am a divorcee and I am running a tailoring shop and making my living. I can now look after my parent and I am financially doing well,” she said.
To help uplift the livelihoods of some more women, she and the other three co-owners of the tailor shop helped another four women to set up a tailoring business in the town recently.
Like theirs, the newly opened tailor shop is doing good business. Including these two, there are five tailoring businesses in Samdrup Jongkhar Thromde.
However, all of them are doing good business. With the border gate still closed due to the pandemic, their businesses have only gained momentum.
“Before I stayed home weaving textiles. But now after getting a tailoring course, we are able to open one shop. It has helped me support my family and cover household expenses,” shared one of the tailors, Pema Wangmo.
The education ministry opened community learning centres in some parts of the country in the early 2000s. Today, there are some 28 such centres in the country. Its objective is to empower rural communities to gain various vocational and life skills to improve their livelihoods.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Pema Lhaden
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