How often do you associate a sound with a memory? The sound of incessant honking, for example, reminds us instantly of big, chaotic cities that dot our nation. But what about sounds that have been etched into our memories over decades?
Take Pijupara village in the Chamaria block of Assam’s Kamrup district. The rhythm of the loom is part of daily life there, but it took considerable effort to generate that sound.
For years, the weavers who depended on it had to travel long distances to buy yarn. The nearest market was far from the village, and every trip meant additional expenses and time away from their work.
For Padumi Kalita, a weaver herself, this was a problem she understood firsthand. In 2018, she decided to address it by setting up a Yarn Bank in the village, allowing local weavers to buy the material they needed closer to home.
Honouring Rural Women, Every Day
On October 15, the world marks the International Day of Rural Women, a day set aside by the United Nations to recognise the contribution of women who sustain families, livelihoods and communities in rural areas. Padumi’s story is a fitting tribute to that spirit: a rural woman who saw a need in her village and built something to meet it.
Padumi invested around ₹70,000 to establish the business. She borrowed ₹50,000 from Bandhan Bank, while her family contributed the remaining ₹20,000. Grameen Sahara, through its Udyamini Programme, supported the venture in its early days by providing 90 kilograms of yarn to stock her shelves.
The Udyamini programme is a four-year initiative that supports rural women entrepreneurs across five value chains (digital literacy, handloom, livestock, agriculture and allied industries, and tea) in 19 districts of West Bengal and Assam.
The initial years were challenging. With limited funds and few established supply arrangements, Padumi had to travel to Guwahati to purchase yarn, which took considerable time and money.
As the business grew, she established relationships with wholesalers in Boko, a town and sub-division in Kamrup district, who now deliver yarn directly to her shop. This has reduced the need for frequent trips to Guwahati, allowing her to spend more time managing the business and working at her loom.
Understanding Her Customers
Padumi was not the only woman in the locality to recognise the business opportunity. Two others started similar ventures around the same time but eventually discontinued them, selling their remaining yarn stock to her.
Her experience as a weaver has helped her manage the business. She understands the material requirements of traditional handloom products and can estimate how much yarn is needed to weave a given number of gamosas. This allows her to supply customers with the quantities they require while minimising wastage.
She has also learnt the importance of maintaining regular communication with customers, building relationships and keeping track of costs and calculations. These practical aspects of running a business have helped her sustain the Yarn Bank as demand for yarn continues.
Expanding Beyond Yarn
Padumi has received support from her family since the business began. Anju Kalita, a Community Resource Person with Grameen Sahara, continues to assist her in expanding her customer base and strengthening the enterprise.
With encouragement from Grameen Sahara, Padumi has also diversified her activities. She now uses a loom of her own to weave traditional handloom products, which she sells alongside yarn. This provides an additional source of income. Training in loom work has further helped her develop her skills.
In July 2025, Padumi registered her enterprise as a micro enterprise on the Udyam Registration Portal, making it eligible for government support intended for small businesses.
However, a banking-related hurdle has delayed access to some of the benefits for which she has been approved. She is working to resolve the issue and expects to receive the benefits once it is settled.
A Steady Source of Income
The Yarn Bank generates around ₹5,000 in a typical month. Business improves during Bihu, when demand for yarn and traditional handloom products increases.
The income helps Padumi meet her household’s regular expenses. She has also repaid the entire ₹50,000 loan she took from Bandhan Bank to establish the enterprise.
For Padumi, prosperity means financial stability and a dependable source of income for her family. The business has also made yarn more accessible to other weavers in Pijupara, who no longer need to travel as far to purchase their supplies.
The benefits extend beyond convenience. By bringing yarn closer to the people who use it, the Yarn Bank helps local weavers save time and reduce the costs associated with sourcing raw materials.
Building on a Local Need
Padumi’s enterprise grew out of a problem she encountered in her own work. Her familiarity with weaving helped her recognise the needs of other weavers, while support from her family and Grameen Sahara helped her establish and expand the business.
Her experience also illustrates how small enterprises can develop around gaps in local markets. By combining her knowledge of handloom work with the practical demands of running a business, she has created an additional livelihood for herself while making an essential material more accessible to other weavers.
In Pijupara, where weaving remains part of everyday life, Padumi’s Yarn Bank has become a local source of yarn and a means of supporting the people who depend on the craft for their livelihoods.
This International Day of Rural Women, her journey is a reminder that rural women are not just participants in village economies. They are often the ones who build them, one thread at a time.
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