Dimapur Women Gain Tailoring Skills to Combat Unemployment

Kohima: Sixty women from the Dimapur I constituency finished a three-month tailoring course this Friday. The graduation ceremony took place at AIDA Hall. Each participant walked away with a new sewing machine and a certificate of completion. The AIDA-led program, themed Empowering Women through Tailoring, started on June 16 to build practical work skills.

H. Tovihoto Ayemi, advisor for Elections and Tribal Affairs, handed out the machines. He admitted he was initially skeptical about the program but changed his mind as interest grew. He told the crowd, "Hearing the experiences of participants over the three month course gave him immense satisfaction." Ayemi hinted that he might organize another session if demand remains high.

Ayemi used the event to address the state's employment crisis. Nagaland holds a massive ratio of government workers, with roughly 1.23 lakh people on the payroll. However, vacancies are scarce. Over 71,000 educated youths are currently registered as job seekers. Ayemi noted that 92 percent of these unemployed individuals lack technical skills.

He urged the youth to look beyond state jobs. He pointed to existing support schemes like the Nagaland Youth Employment Programme, MSME, and the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme. A BJP cell is now working to spread awareness about these specific aid programs. Rev. Fr. Nebu Mathew and Rev. Fr. Dr. Roy George opened the event, while trainees Bendangnaro and Elikana shared their experiences.