LocationsA small solar unit and a sewing machine spark a quiet shift in a low-income community, showing how clean energy can fuel dignity, independence, and new possibilities for women.
Sewing a Brighter Future, Powered by the Sun
November 27, 2025
In Tamil Nadu’s Narikurava Colony, 25-year-old Jayalakshmi starts her morning caring for her two children before sitting beside the window where her sewing machine stands. Her schooling ended early, and for years she stitched clothes by hand for small payments. Her husband found work only when he could. Some weeks the family managed school fees and groceries. Other weeks they struggled. She wanted steady work but had no way to reach it.
Learning one stitch at a time
That possibility came when a UNDP-supported livelihoods and clean energy initiative reached her community with a simple offer: sewing machines, practical training, and support to set up home-based tailoring for women with limited formal education.
The initiative is part of UNDP’s wider effort to expand Decentralised Renewable Energy (DRE) systems that strengthen livelihoods across India. Working with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, UNDP is helping accelerate the adoption of DRE by creating convergence with ministries such as agriculture, rural development, and tribal affairs.
UNDP’s Decentralised Renewable Energy initiative, supported by the Japan Supplementary Budget, is expanding clean-energy livelihoods across five states, installing nearly 500 solar-powered systems for micro-enterprises.
In communities like Narikurava Colony in Tamil Nadu, women are using these systems to run tailoring units, improve productivity, and earn steady incomes. The programme combines practical skills training, local partnerships, and reliable solar power to strengthen household resilience and support low-income families.
The idea generated curiosity and hesitation in Narikurava Colony. Some families wondered whether a single machine could change much. Many women feared they might struggle with the training. The project team spent time listening, addressing concerns, and building trust. Slowly, women like Jayalakshmi stepped forward.
She says, “When the team first came, I wasn’t sure if I could learn all this. I had never used a machine before. But they kept encouraging us, so I decided to try.”
The training focused on simplicity. Trainers demonstrated how to thread the machine, adjust tension, repair issues, and complete basic projects. Visual instructions and peer learning helped women grasp techniques at their own pace. Those who learnt quickly supported others, turning the sessions into a shared learning space.
Along with tailoring, they learnt how to price work, plan time, and maintain quality. These were new ideas for Jayalakshmi, but repetition helped her understand how to run a home enterprise.
A small business takes shape
Once her machine was installed at home, a familiar challenge returned. Power cuts interrupted her work and delayed deliveries. The solar component of the initiative changed that completely. A small solar unit kept her work steady and reliable, allowing her to complete orders without disruption.
For Jayalakshmi, steady power meant uninterrupted work and a dependable income.
She began dedicating two hours each day to sewing. Within weeks she was earning around 150 to 200 rupees a day. It was enough to buy better food for her children, pay school fees on time, and start saving. She stitched uniforms, bags, and simple garments for neighbours. Affordable mending services also became a steady source of income.
The change in Jayalakshmi is not only economic. With each completed order her confidence has grown. People who once doubted her now trust her with regular stitching work. She introduces herself as a tailor and a small business owner, a shift that has brought pride and independence.
A ripple effect across the community
Jayalakshmi’s progress has encouraged other women in the colony to join the programme. She now helps newcomers learn the basics, guiding their hands as they practise their first stitches.
Better nutrition, regular school attendance, and reduced financial stress are now part of her family’s routine. The solar unit ensures her business runs even during long outages. Social attitudes are shifting too. More families are willing to let women work and earn.
Her journey offers a few clear lessons. Trust-building is essential. Practical, step-by-step training works well for women with limited literacy. Peer mentorship builds confidence. And when clean energy systems are paired with small livelihood assets, they can create reliable and lasting change.
Looking ahead
Jayalakshmi hopes to expand her work. She wants to learn fashion design, buy higher quality materials, and eventually open a small tailoring centre where women can learn and earn together.
“The sewing machine gave me a chance to earn while taking care of my children,” she says. “When a customer is happy with what I stitched, I feel like I am doing something meaningful.”
Her story shows how sustainable energy and local skills can come together to reshape futures. In a quiet corner of Tamil Nadu, a single solar-powered sewing machine has helped Jayalakshmi stitch dignity and hope into her life, creating a path others in her community are ready to follow.
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