Shaping success: How CEC is training weavers to be entrepreneurs

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Assam has a rich tradition of handloom, but products from the state often remain confined to local trade fairs and rarely reach broader markets. Rural Women Entrepreneur-led handloom enterprises face marketing challenges like low customer awareness and supply issues. The Centre for Education and Communication (CEC) is working to address these issues by supporting sustainable livelihoods for workers and small producers.
Chandamita Baruah, CEC's Assistant Project Manager, emphasized the importance of a baseline survey to understand the conditions of the villages and women weavers before starting interventions. This survey helped identify key criteria for selecting women participants, including their productivity, local market presence, leadership potential, interest in training, and ability to mentor others.
Aparna Singh, CEC's Program Manager, highlighted the challenges women weavers face, such as inadequate infrastructure and limited product range, which hinder their growth. Although support mechanisms exist, access remains fragmented, making it hard for women to consistently pursue their entrepreneurial goals.
CEC's efforts are showing positive results. For instance, Chitra Thakuria, a weaver from Jiyakur No 2 village, mentioned that expanding market access could significantly improve their livelihoods. Women are pooling resources to buy yarn and explore new product categories, and they are increasingly pursuing collective efforts to enhance business growth.
Rakhee Choudhury, CEC's Handloom Value Chain Expert, noted that while the government has introduced several schemes, many rural women are unaware of them. She believes that increased awareness and support could help these women access available benefits.
Drishana Kalita, the Entrepreneurship Development Programme trainer at CEC, emphasized the need for capacity building beyond just the handloom sector, including changes in community attitudes and behaviors. CEC plans to provide advanced training in leadership and business management, along with better access to resources and markets, aiming for sustainable growth and prosperity for women weavers in Assam.
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