Coimbatore: International Women’s Day celebrations yesterday saw recognition for a Salem-based dream project, Kanaga Thaiyalagam, conceived by Dr Shanmuganathan through Ganga Hospital in Coimbatore. It is not just another brand, designing blouses and bags, but the hopes and dream of women from the small village of Magudanchavadi near Salem.

Kanaga tailoring institute head D. Bhuvana told The Covai Post that for women who had no means to sustain themselves Kanaga Thaiyalagam played an important role by starting tailoring classes. Local uneducated women were trained to stitch churidars, blouses, pattu pavadai and making of Kanaga bags among other things. She said notices were sent out when a new batch started to make them aware of the free tailoring classes being offered.

“Unlike other jobs, this particular one requires no formal education. We receive orders locally as well as from Chennai in bulk which we supply within a week,” she added.

A member Sakthi said they wanted to help women who needed help. The organisation also funded for the education of the needy and took up the initiative to provide chairs for computer labs at school, replacing of waterpipes, starting spoken English classes to mention a few.

Sakthi says, “The organisation sets up stalls during festivals but whatever money comes is used for social causes or for buying equipment for the organisation. All women who are trained receive a certificate and a job in the organisation where they are paid half of whatever cost it takes for a single product. They do not need to buy machines or take orders except for stitching.”

The organisation identifies the skill of each individual and then tries to develop it.