As I get out of the car and stretch my legs, I’m ushered into a large white building. With each passing step, as I approach the narrow doorway, the sound of rhythmic tapping grows louder. Behind the door, I see dozens of women, necks bent over rattling sewing machines, working quickly to complete their orders. Some stitch intricate bridal lehenga skirts with dazzling designs, while others hem simple, solid-colored trousers.
As I walk around the room, taking it all in, Jitendra, my work colleague, explains that the women collectively complete over 200 orders each week. They do not source the fabric, he explains, but rather receive the fabric from vendors and stitch it according to the vendors’ designs and preferences. On average, the women earn between 5,000 and 7,000 rupees per month for their tailoring work. In a district where the average income per person is 17,000 rupees, tailoring provides additional financial opportunities for women to supplement their incomes and provide for their families. It also helps narrow the regional pay gap between men and women, who have historically been excluded from paid work due to family and household responsibilities.
The center itself, located in Parshuram Colony in Rewari, was established in 2025 by the American India Foundation with support from MSI Surfaces. It is one of AIF’s “Training Production Centers” that focuses on equipping youth, women, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized communities with job-ready skills that will help them find employment and earn.
This particular center focuses on teaching women how to sew and tailor. Once they are skilled enough, they begin working on live orders and earning an income. AIF provides the infrastructure for the workspace, including 40 sewing machines, tables, work benches, and a variety of other resources for the women to operate. Beyond providing physical infrastructure, AIF also attracts clients and connects them with the women tailors, ensuring that they have a steady flow of orders to fill, for which they can get paid.
Before women arrive at the AIF center, they start their learning at a government-sponsored center just across the lawn. Here, they’re taught the fundamentals of tailoring, honing their skills and techniques. After completing the basic training, they head to the AIF center to continue with more advanced training as well as filling orders. This two-step progression from classroom instruction to paid work highlights how the government can successfully collaborate with NGOs to build more robust skilling and training interventions.
The partnership between AIF and the government came into clearer focus when Rewari’s District Collector, Abhishek Meena, arrived at the center, with an entourage of officials and a flurry of local reporters. The center became a brief media spectacle. Inside, Mr. Meena met with AIF staff and the women tailors, and he even participated in distributing certificates, recognizing some women who had completed their tailoring training. The visit served as a clear reminder of AIF’s strong relationship with the government and the government’s commitment to participating in development sector work.
When the last government official disappeared through the door, with the noise and cameras going with them, the women lingered, smiling, before gradually returning to their work. Slowly, the steady tap-tap of the sewing machines filled the room once again, just as it had when I first entered.
