By Subbarao Ravuri (Datta), past governor of District 3020 (India) and a member of the Rotary Club of Vijayawada Midtown, Andhra Pradesh, India
When I took part in a recent visit by The Rotary Foundation Cadre of Technical Advisers to evaluate one of our livelihood projects, I expected to review reports and verify outcomes.
Instead, I came home inspired.
Over three days, we travelled nearly 600 kilometres (about 370 miles) across coastal Andhra Pradesh, India, meeting more than 200 women who had received high-speed commercial sewing machines through a District 3020 project supported by a 20 million Indian Rupee (about US$250,000) Corporate Social Responsibility grant from Coal India Limited.
Every stop reminded me that Rotary doesn’t simply provide equipment — we create opportunities.
A simple machine. A lasting change.
The project supported 800 disadvantaged women who already knew tailoring but lacked the tools to earn a sustainable income. Many stitched on old household machines or worked in tailoring shops for very low wages. A commercial sewing machine changed that.
Again and again, I heard the same words: “My income has doubled.”
Most women now earn around 10,000 Rupees (about US$105) a month, while some earn much more. But the numbers were only part of the story.
The stories I’ll never forget
One woman proudly showed us the refrigerator she had purchased with her earnings. Another said she could finally meet her children’s education needs without borrowing money. One beneficiary quietly told us, “Earlier I worried every day about feeding my family. Now I sleep peacefully. Even my blood pressure and diabetes are under control because my stress has reduced.”
Yet another shared that she had left a tailoring shop where she often faced disrespect. Today, the same shop sends garments to her home. She works with dignity, earns more, and spends more time with her family. A widow explained that her government pension barely covered her rent. Her sewing income now allows her to live independently.
Then I met a woman who had already purchased a second sewing machine and employed another tailor.
That moment stayed with me. Rotary had not only created a livelihood — we had helped create another job.
A visit that gave me goosebumps
One of the most emotional moments came in Visakhapatnam, where the Rotary Club of Waltair helped establish a tailoring center for 10 members of the transgender community. They told us that many of them had once survived by begging on the streets or collecting customary donations during celebrations. Today, they earn through their skills.
One person smiled and said, “People respect us now because we earn with dignity.” That gave me goosebumps. Respect cannot be donated. But opportunity can.
As I reflected on those three days, I realized that this project was never just about sewing machines. It was about:
- Dignity for women.
- Education for their children.
- Confidence to make their own decisions.
- Hope for families.
- Respect within their communities.
Sometimes, changing a life doesn’t require a complex solution. Sometimes, it starts with believing in someone’s potential and giving them the right opportunity.
That is what I witnessed. And that is the power of Rotary.