Banikhet trust paves path to financial independence for women

For over a decade, the Yog Manav Vikas Trust (YMVT) based in Banikhet, Chamba, has been changing the lives of women by providing vocational training and self-employment opportunities. With the Government of India’s goal to create three crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’, the trust has already been working toward this vision, said the YMVT chairperson, Kiran Dodeja.

Dodeja shared the trust has empowered countless women through skill-based programmes, enabling them to achieve financial independence. Rita Devi, from Talgut in Banikhet, trained in beauty culture and tailoring at the trust’s centre. Today, she runs a successful beauty business, supports her son’s education and works as a trainer at the institute. Similarly, Reena Devi from Samleu village established a thriving beauty centre, excelling in beauty treatments and providing a stable livelihood for her family.

Another success story is Sunita Devi from Surangani, who turned her tailoring skills into a successful home-based boutique. She has also trained over 500 women, helping them achieve financial independence.

In the remote villages of Bagdar, young women Kajal and Poonam Devi took multiple training courses, including yoga and tailoring. They now run a Panchkarma centre and conduct yoga training programmes across the country. Their work has taken them to seminars in states such as Sikkim, West Bengal, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. Through their hard work and dedication, they have not only supported their families but also inspired many others, said Dodeja.