Twenty-year-old Samima lived with her mother and two siblings in the village of Kashbari in Bihar. Her father supported the family by working as a migrant laborer in the state of Kerala, 2,700 miles from home. When the pandemic hit and the lockdown began, his work dried up and he was forced to return home with no hope of income. The family went through a very difficult time, struggling to eat each day.

Samima felt helpless in this situation. She had no skills or training, and no way to help. But then she heard about EHA’s Disaster Risk Reduction team and their plans to hold tailoring classes in Kashbari for women and teenage girls. Samima jumped at the chance to learn to sew, and she soon completed their three-month basic tailoring course.

The next hurdle for Samima was to obtain a sewing machine to start her own business. The cost of 6,000 rupees ($75) was astronomical for her. So the disaster team helped her open a nationalized bank account and take out a loan.

Soon Samima was in business and the orders began coming in. Since mask wearing was still mandatory at this time, much of her work involved sewing masks. Within three months she had repaid her loan and helped her father purchase a train ticket to Kerala to return to his work.

Samima was thrilled to be able to help her family and begin saving money. Her family is very proud of her, and her work is a testament to other young women in her area. The livelihood skills training classes taught by EHA’s Disaster Risk Reduction team are making a huge difference in the lives of countless families in India.