RURAL WOMEN MUST NOT BE LEFT BEHIND.

Women of Meeus Crafts are proud and honourable women who know no boundaries can stop them. They are fierce about challenging their existing lifestyle and going beyond its limitations. The same is the story of Mrs Urmila Devi. The mother of three children has continued her life as a housewife for the last 17 years. She never thought her extravagant knitting skills would fetch her money some day. She used to be satisfied knitting sweaters for her kids, but today she says she is happy doing this for Meesu crafts. Urmila Devi's skills are a boon for Meesu Crafts. This is her story in a way she told us yesterday.

Urmila Devi

Twice a child bride, Urmila Devi – a single mother of three now – makes her living as a farm laborer. But her passion for handknitting and crochet preserves her family and makes it commercially sustainable.

She grew up in Berra village on the outskirts of Patna city. From the time I can remember, I have been very fond of dancing. I would break into a dance whenever I heard a song.

I always dreamt of becoming a famous dancer. I used to watch a couple of girls in our community and, of course, my mother and aunt dance.

I was probably in class 5 when I became a child bride. He was much older. So, he married someone else. I was married again. A child marriage, of course.

When I was in 9th, we lived in Bodh Gaya (Tourist Place) city for a few years, where I worked in a tourist hotel. I was earning enough money for my family, and the tourists paid me well while they were on their way back home. I remember all of the Buddhists I served, but I never got the chance to meet them again.

Every evening I used to sit in front of a Buddhist temple and make handknitted caps and small accessories. Many tourists started to buy my hand knitted accessories, and I get paid for them. This helps me a lot to save a few amounts for my future.

When I turned 18, I was sent to my husband’s house. The first few months of my married life were fine. Then my husband turned abusive. and got addicted to alcohol and started using my savings.

My husband wasn’t keen on working. But how could we live without working? Things became so intense that in 2006, when he stole my savings and ran away to the city, leaving me alone in Bodhgaya, I consumed poison. My husband was unconcerned even then.

A hotel worker told my family, who rushed me to the hospital, got me treated, and took me home.

When my husband came after a few months and promised my parents to mend his ways, I returned with him. However, my troubles didn’t stop even after my daughter Priya and son Ravi were born.

I must have been eight when my mother gave me an unfinished handknitted sweater. I created my own pattern. My mother was very pleased with my work, and I miss her terribly and think about her every day, wherever she is.

When I was pregnant with my third child, Madhu, my husband left me at my parents’ house. He hasn’t returned since.

That was five years ago.

Urmila Devi doing handknitting with her daughter Priya and sitting behind the Buddhist Temple every evening after hotel cleaning and saving a small amount to educate my daughter. Priya is in class 7th, Ravi is going to enter class 4th, and my small daughter Madhu lives with us all the time.

And I never decide to marry any child before he gets dependent on himself.

At the start of COVID, I got paid one month only from the hotel where I was working, but later he never asked me about my condition and a day meal for my three kids. Things were getting worse and I decided to return back to my village. My neighbors really helped me four months to provide a good meal every day to my family. I am very grateful to the government of India, who supported us a lot in providing every day meal to my family.

I met the team of Meesu crafts in Feb 2021. The team was on a field survey to know their problems. I remember while they discussed with me about my hand skills, I showed them all my previously knitted sweaters and accessories. And the journey with Meesu crafts started from that day. In the beginning, around six to eight months, I was not getting work from them on a daily basis, so yes I was in doubt all the time for my child's education. But yes, later in the year of 2022, I will be getting enough work from Meesu crafts and have started saving for all three kids.

My day usually begins at 5 am. I start to make breakfast and lunch for my kids, then I clean my house and drop my children off at school.

I want my children to study. I want them to make it through their lives, so I let them focus on their studies. I believe if they get educated, they’ll be able to do what they want and live a life of dignity.

At the same time, I want them to learn the art of hand knitting and crocheting. I would like my sons to also learn.

You know, I didn’t even complete class 10th. But at 35 years of age, I have another dream now.

I have many hopes with Meesu crafts team, to provide enough work, I don't want to return back to those cities, where I cried silently countless nights.

We (Meesu Crafts Team) ARE PROUD TO FOUND A MEMBER LIKE URMILA DEVI, WE WISH YOU GOOD LIFE AND CHERISH EXPERIENCES WITH MEESU CRAFTS IN UPCOMING FUTURE.