Weaving dreams and dignity: My path from heritage to entrepreneurship

Suranjana Singha, a social science graduate from the Manipuri ethnic community in Moulvibazar, Bangladesh, turned a lifelong cultural tradition into a thriving social enterprise. After losing her job during the COVID-19 pandemic, she founded her own textile company, drawing on her deep-rooted knowledge of weaving and the skills gained from ILO’s ProGRESS project. Read her story in her own words.

Sreemangal, Bangladesh (ILO News) - My name is Suranjana Singha, and I was born and raised in Kamalganj, Moulvibazar, in a Manipuri ethnic community where weaving is more than just tradition — it is an identity, heritage, and pride. I grew up learning the intricate art of Manipuri weaving by sitting beside my grandmother and mother as they worked on the back-strap loom, a craft passed down through generations. The colours, patterns, and textures of our textiles were part of our everyday lives — woven not just into fabric, but into our culture and sense of belonging.

Although weaving was always close to my heart, I initially took a different path. After completing my graduation in Social Science, I dedicated several years to working in the development sector, focusing on reproductive health with national and international NGOs and UN agencies across Bangladesh. While that work gave me purpose, there was always a lingering question in my mind: how can I preserve and promote our traditional weaving?

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic brought an unexpected turn. I lost my job — like so many others. With BDT 60,000 (USD 500) from my savings, I made a bold decision to follow my heart. I bought three weaving machines, threads, and the basic tools needed, and started my own enterprise in Sreemangal — Nimsing Bishnupria Manipuri Tantshilpo. It began with just me, a few machines, and a deep belief in the value of our heritage.

Manipuri weaving isn't just a craft. It’s a livelihood and a lifeline, especially for women. I saw an opportunity to do more than creating cloth — I could create opportunities. I started training women from the nearby tea garden communities, many of whom were unemployed and had never woven before. Slowly, 20 women became part of my small business — learning, weaving, and earning.

In 2024, I was introduced to the GET Ahead Training organized by a local NGO, IPDS, under the ILO’s ProGRESS project funded by the Government of Canada. This training was a game-changer. I had the skills to weave, but not the tools to run a business. The programme taught me essential entrepreneurial skills: how to grow my business, price my products, set fair wages, increase productivity, and create forward market linkages. I also learned about gender-based violence and harassment at work — and how to build safer, more respectful workplaces.

This knowledge was empowering — not just for me, but for the women I work with. I began sharing these learnings in the tea garden communities. Many of these women live in extreme poverty, often voiceless. I wanted to pass on not only my weaving skills, but also confidence — a sense that they, too, could shape their own futures.

That’s when I joined the Shared Service Facilities Centre established inside a tea garden in Kamalganj. This centre, managed by the community, helps women gain hands-on weaving skills and learn how to run a business with dignity and independence. As a Master Craftsperson, I provide regular mentoring and coaching. So far, I’ve trained 46 women — 16 of whom have already set up their own looms and are producing and selling their own woven goods.

Every thread we weave tells a story — of resilience, of tradition, of dreams reimagined.

This MSME Day (Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day), I celebrate not just my journey, but the collective journey of many women who are turning a traditional art into a sustainable livelihood. My hope is to see more women gain economic and social independence — and in doing so, contribute to their families, communities, and to our nation’s development.

From one loom in a small village to a network of empowered women — our enterprise is proof that small businesses, when rooted in culture and supported with the right knowledge, can create ripples of change.