Identify and Mobilise Participants

Begin by conducting community outreach to identify and mobilise a cohort of 30-50 women aged 18–45 from underserved areas who are motivated to gain vocational skills and income-earning capacity. Focus particularly on first-time earners—women who have never had their own income source—and those actively seeking livelihood opportunities but lacking access to training.

Work with local women's groups, community centres, self-help organisations, and trusted community leaders to spread awareness about the programme and its comprehensive approach combining tailoring skills with entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Hold information sessions that clearly communicate the programme structure (12–20 weeks), time commitment, expected outcomes (job-ready skills, ability to start businesses, income generation capacity), and the support provided by 1M1B throughout the journey. Address common barriers to participation such as family concerns, childcare needs, transportation challenges, or confidence issues, developing practical solutions where possible.

Create a transparent selection process that ensures the programme reaches those who will benefit most whilst building a cohort diverse enough to support peer learning and mutual encouragement throughout the training period.

Establish Training Infrastructure

Work with 1M1B to set up the complete training infrastructure required for effective programme delivery. Secure appropriate training space that can accommodate both hands-on practical tailoring sessions and classroom-style learning for theory, demonstrations, and business sessions. The space needs adequate lighting for detailed stitching work, tables or workstations where participants can practice cutting and sewing, storage for equipment and materials, and seating arrangements that facilitate both individual skill practice and group discussions.

Coordinate with 1M1B to ensure availability of all necessary tailoring equipment including sewing machines (ideally one per 2-3 participants for adequate practice time), cutting tools, measuring instruments, fabric samples for learning, and patterns for various garment types. Arrange training materials for the entrepreneurship and financial literacy components including workbooks, calculation tools, and business planning templates.

Establish a schedule that works for participants—many women from underserved communities balance family responsibilities, so timing flexibility can be crucial for sustained attendance. Create an environment that feels welcoming and confidence-building rather than intimidating, recognising that many participants may have limited formal education or previous training experience.

Deliver Tailoring Skills Training

Implement the hands-on tailoring skills component with 1M1B's trainers, who teach core competencies through a progressive learning approach that builds confidence alongside capability. Begin with basic stitching techniques—how to thread machines, control stitching speed, maintain straight seams, and handle different fabric types—allowing participants to master fundamentals before advancing. Progress to cutting patterns, where participants learn to take accurate measurements, interpret pattern layouts, and cut fabric efficiently without waste (an important business skill).

Move to complete garment construction, teaching participants to assemble pieces into finished products including common items like blouses, kurtas, children's clothing, and simple alterations that represent immediate income opportunities. Throughout practical sessions, trainers emphasise quality standards, finishing techniques, and common problem-solving, preparing women for real customer expectations rather than just classroom exercises. Conduct regular skill assessments through practical demonstrations where participants complete actual projects under observation, providing feedback and additional coaching where needed.

Create a supportive learning environment where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities and participants encourage each other's progress, building the confidence essential for eventual customer-facing work or business ownership.

Build Business and Financial Capabilities

Alongside tailoring skills, deliver the entrepreneurship and financial literacy components that transform vocational ability into sustainable livelihood. 1M1B facilitators teach practical business fundamentals including how to price services competitively (covering material costs, time investment, skill level, and market rates without undervaluing work), customer handling techniques for taking orders, managing expectations, handling complaints professionally, and building repeat business, and small business setup covering home-based operations, simple record-keeping, inventory management, and gradual business growth strategies.

The financial literacy sessions address savings practices (why and how to save even small amounts regularly), budgeting methods for both household and business expenses, basic income tracking to understand profit versus revenue, and planning for business investments like equipment upgrades or material purchases. Make these sessions highly practical and relevant to participants' actual contexts—use local market examples, role-play customer scenarios, calculate pricing for garments women will actually make, and discuss real challenges they'll face like seasonal demand fluctuations or customer payment delays.

Help participants develop both entrepreneurial mindset (seeing opportunities, taking calculated risks, thinking like business owners) and practical confidence (knowing they can handle the business aspects, not just the technical skills) that distinguish successful income earners from those who struggle to monetise their training.

Support Market Entry and Livelihood Launch

As training concludes, shift focus to actual market entry and income generation, recognising this transition is where many training programmes fail despite producing skilled graduates. Work with 1M1B to connect participants to market opportunities including custom order networks where they can start taking individual clients, local market spaces where they might sell finished goods, potential employers seeking skilled tailors, and supply chain opportunities providing services to larger businesses or boutiques.

Help participants develop their initial business setup whether home-based stitching operations, small shopfront ventures, or employment with established tailors or garment businesses. Support the critical first months of income generation when confidence is fragile and challenges feel overwhelming—troubleshoot problems like difficult customers, pricing mistakes, or quality issues through group problem-solving sessions where participants support each other. Track outcomes including how many graduates successfully establish income-earning activity, what types of work they're doing (employment, self-employment, home-based business), income levels being generated, and sustainability over 6-12 months.

Measure broader impact through increased household incomes, women's enhanced decision-making power and economic independence, skill development ripple effects in communities, and promotion of self-reliance and entrepreneurship. Collect powerful testimonials and success stories that demonstrate transformation—not just skills acquired, but lives changed through sustainable livelihood creation that enables women to become confident earners, business owners, and economic contributors within their families and communities.