Who am I & why have I made this page?

My name is Harry, aged 26. I visited India for the 1st time in September of this year, which was an eye-opening experience. During my time there, I visited the blessed Bodhgaya and met a man named Ashok in a small tea shop. After some time there in conversation, we got onto the topic of work - Ashok has been a tour guide for some time around the area, but since the end of 2024 has been pursuing a deeper vocation.

He and his team have built a number of fresh water hand pumps this year in villages around Bodhgaya, which made a huge impact and helped provide over 10 families in each village with clean water. Ashok has now the intention to build something with greater impact - something that allows such less-fortunate villagers to support their families now and to continue to do so for generations to come.

Before we met, Ashok had found a small building in a village named Bahande, around 2.5 hours away from Bodhgaya. As seen in the photos, he had bought 4 sewing machines and hired 2 teachers to support the 20 students currently there. The money for the machines came from a kind donation of another UK-based traveler, and the teachers wages and cost of materials currently comes from Ashok’s pocket.

The centre is currently not official, and requires registration to allow it to grow any further. Recently, we have raised funds which bought 1 more sewing machine (~£100), and provided funds where we can to help support the overall operation of the centre.

Like many villages in India and similarly poor countries, the village of Bahande and its ladies have limited access to vocational training and steady income. For the vast majority of families, the parents go to work long hours in construction for very little income, while the children stay at home with no access to school or a vocation. In other circumstances, sadly, ladies lose their husbands, becoming widows and therefore having no income to feed or clothe their families or keep a roof over their head.

A free sewing school will teach tailoring, pattern‑making, and basic business skills, creating pathways to small enterprises and local market sales. It will allow these ladies to earn money for themselves, to support their families and build up the community around them.

What we’re doing with the donations:

We will continue to grow the free-to-enter, sewing school offering a basic course, follow‑up advanced classes, and mentorship to help graduates sell their products locally. The program emphasizes hands‑on training, group projects, and simple bookkeeping/market skills.

How donations will be used

Initial and expected monthly costs:

- One‑time NGO set‑up = INR ₹49,800 / £475 (Official paperwork)

- 2 Fans, to use in warmer seasons: INR ₹13,500 / £117

- Carpet covering centre’s entire floor space, especially important during colder months = INR ₹20,000 / £171.30

~ Total = INR ₹83,300 / £714

Expected monthly costs:

- *Wages for 2 teachers:* INR ₹28,000 / £270 per month

- *Fabric/materials (100 m):* INR ₹46,000 / £440 per month

- *Building rent:* INR ₹15,000 / £130 per month

~> Total = £830 per month

Impact

- Train 60+ women in year one with practical sewing and business skills

- Enable these ladies of Bahande to earn income through tailoring, alterations, and selling handmade goods - thereby supporting and sustaining their families!

- Build local capacity for a sustainable community program

How you can help

- Kindly donate to cover the one‑time start cost and/or monthly expenses

- Share this campaign on your social media

- Offer fabric, machines (India based) or supplies that would also go to greatly support our cause.

Donor transparency:

All funds will be managed by me, then withdrawn and sent to Ashok to fund the project. Upon request, donors will receive regular updates, photos, and proof of spending.

Be a part of a wonderful movement, by helping us to launch our free sewing school officially and equip the less fortunate women of Bahande village with lasting skills and income opportunities, to help support their families and generations to come.

Thank you for taking the time to read our page. We would be eternally grateful for any support, whichever way it comes.