00:00What most of us throw away as crap has become a lifeline for one woman in Rajasthan.
00:13In Jalavar's Asnavar village, Sushila Devi weaves strips of old newspaper on a handloom,
00:20turning waste into beautiful, durable products that now travel all the way to America.
00:2617 years ago, Sushila's world had collapsed. Her husband passed away suddenly, leaving her alone with 5 young children and no income.
00:56In her darkest days, she discovered training programs for a lot of people.
01:03So, I took this training, making a headloom product, Sushila and printing training.
01:11In her darkest days, she discovered training programs in weaving, stitching and block printing.
01:16She grabbed every opportunity determined to rebuild her life with her own hands.
01:22But, her breakthrough came from a simple idea. If thread can be woven into cloth, why not newspaper?
01:29That idea changed everything. Sushila began cutting and weaving newspaper blended with thread.
01:34Her experiments turned into sturdy laptop bags, tote bags, jewellery pouches and shaggan envelopes.
01:45She dyed them with natural colors like turmeric, indigo and marigold, making each piece eco-friendly and unique.
02:08People put on paper and put it on paper. We cut it off.
02:15We have cut it in the headloom. After that, we have made a sagun leafap.
02:19We have prepared this. We have made many products.
02:23We have made many products like laptop bag, tote bag, jewelry bag.
02:27This is our order. This is the US order.
02:32We are doing this experiment.
02:34One day we thought that we are making clothes.
02:37Why don't we put it in paper and prepare it?
02:41After that, someone said that you can dye it.
02:45We have indigo dye.
02:47We have natural dye.
02:49We should also go in water.
02:52We have dyed it and colored it.
02:56But the journey wasn't easy.
02:58She had no capital.
03:00So she and the women around her began saving whatever they could.
03:05From that modest start, 50 women from nearby villages now work with her,
03:10weaving, dyeing, stitching and block printing,
03:13earning a stable income and gaining confidence.
03:17At exhibitions like the Amrita Heart in Bharatpur,
03:20her stall attracts steady crowds.
03:23Hand loom bedsheets, jackets, towels, block printed fabrics and her signature paper woven products sell quickly with daily sales often reaching 10 to 20 thousand rupees.
03:36But recognition came only after struggle.
03:39In the beginning, people mocked her for stepping out to work.
03:43Today, those same people praise her.
03:46Because Sushila hasn't just rebuilt her own life,
03:49she has transformed the lives of 50 women who now earn, learn and stand on their own.
03:55A quiet revolution, indeed, woven from discarded newspapers and extraordinary determination.
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