Weaving Lives
A livelihood project for the mainstreaming of HIV affected and infected women of Trivandrum and Kollam districts
“Weaving Lives” aims to improve the living situations of women within the districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam. The failing health prevents them from having a job and increased treatment expenses have worsened the lives of these women, who are mostly widows. To break this vicious circle of poverty and to save these lives, we are here with a plan to empower them through a life changing strategy.
TRAINING PROGRAM
Increasing the earning capacity of women has a major role to play in the women empowerment. Financial freedom opens for her various ways to success in life. Aiming at the sustainable development of unemployed women, De Care- Vincentian Social Services conducted three day stitching training for women at Vincentian Ashram, Vattapara. The CSR wing of ESAF Bank funded the entire training program. Around 20 participants from different parts of Trivandrum attended the training.
Vincentian Social Services Completed training programs as part of the Weaving Lives Project. Altogether 40 women were given stitching training in Trivandrum and Kollam and the machines were distributed. At Kollam, the training was conducted at QSS (Quilon Social Services). The training was organized under the CSR initiatives of ESAF Foundation. In the further phase of this project, we will monitor and try to establish market linkages.
Stitching Training and Enterprise Support
Empowering Women, Weaving Livelihoods
As part of the Weaving Lives initiative, Vincentian Social Services launched a targeted livelihood support program for women living with HIV/AIDS from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam, in collaboration with Kerala State AIDS Control Society (KSACS).
Recognizing the double burden of social stigma and economic vulnerability faced by these women—many of whom are widows—the project aims to restore dignity, self-reliance, and sustainable livelihoods.
Key Highlights
- 45 tailoring machines distributed to support home-based income generation.
- A two-day tailoring training program conducted at Vincentian Social Services (Thiruvananthapuram) and QSS, Kollam.
- Program supported through the CSR initiative of ESAF Bank, enabling successful implementation.
This initiative contributes to poverty reduction, women’s empowerment, and the promotion of decent work and economic independence.
Sustaining Impact
- Market linkages to help women sell their products and secure stable income.
- Monitoring and follow-up to evaluate long-term outcomes and address challenges.
- Building a supportive community network that celebrates skills and success stories.
Through this effort, Vincentian Social Services envisions a society where every woman— regardless of her circumstances—has the opportunity to build a life of dignity, independence, and economic freedom.
Empowering Women Through Livelihood: Glove Inspection Unit
In collaboration with Madonna ITI, Anchilippa, Kanjirappilly, and Hi Care Gloves, Vincentian Social Services established a glove inspection unit—a dedicated workspace designed to empower women from economically and socially marginalized backgrounds.
The unit currently employs over 50 women, many of whom previously had no stable source of income. Today, each worker earns a minimum daily wage of ₹500, significantly improving the financial stability of their families.
On average, a worker inspects around 3,000 gloves per day, demonstrating both their productivity and growing confidence.
Beyond employment, the initiative provides a platform for women to rediscover self-worth, rebuild dignity, and redefine their social roles. The overwhelming interest from other job-seeking women highlights the demand for similar livelihood opportunities.
This unit stands as a powerful model of women-centric entrepreneurship, creating meaningful employment while addressing poverty at its roots.
The project was envisioned and brought to life through the dedicated efforts of Fr. Tony Kuthiramattathil, whose commitment to social upliftment played a crucial role in transforming this vision into reality.