Women take part in a skill development programme on candle-making in Bhagalpur. Picture by Amit Kumar

Bhagalpur, March 15: The National Agriculture Bank for Rural Development (Nabard) Bihar regional office sanctioned funds for a skill development programme in candle-making to Fateh Help Society, Bhagalpur. The primary objective of this programme is to address the livelihood issues of Muslim women.

The representatives of Bhagalpur Social Service Society extended an offer to supply candles made by the trainees to various churches in Bhagalpur on a regular basis.

Nabard district development manager Nabin Roy said chief trainer Sabana Daaud will teach 150 trainees to make different types of candles during the month-long training programme.

The trainees have been imparted training to give various shapes and colours to wax, moulding them into candles of various shapes and sizes. The participants were also trained on how to make gel candles. A session on motivation was organised. Roy said: “Most of the participants here used to roll beedis hitherto. This programme would help them show a new direction to life.” Trainees like Shaukat and Nikhat sought financial assistance from Nabard so that they could set up a small business. All the participants said they could never anticipate that candles could be made so attractive.

Sabia Khatun, a participant, said: “I consider myself very lucky to be here. This would give us a new avenue for income.” Another participant, Anju Rehana, said: “The trainers are taking a lot of care to teach us the art candle-making. Hopefully, we would be able to earn a better living by making candles.”

The candles being made here would be displayed at one of the stalls allotted to Nabard at Saras Mela in Bhagalpur that will start on Loal Sandis compound ground on March 22. The trainees are upbeat about having a group-owned candle shop in near future. During the next two weeks, the trainees would be guided to make herbal candles besides other designs.

Roy said: “We would see the response these candles receive at Saras Mela. Analysing it, we can give them a place at the Nathnagar Mela, to be organised in the district sometime in April and May. We plan a permanent stall for these candles.”

Roy told The Telegraph that there are plans of sending the participants for better training to different metropolitan cities like Delhi or Calcutta. “There are plans to provide these women with financial assistance so that they can produce candles in bulk.”

On March 4, Gadadhar Panda, zonal manager of UCO Bank inaugurated the month-long programme. Several dignitaries, including C.C. Tosh, manager, Bihar regional office, Ram Gopal Poddar, president, Bhagalpur Chamber of Commerce, P.K. Ghosh, Uco Bank manager, Chamelichak were present on the occasion.

Poddar appreciated Nabard’s efforts in the uplift of the women belonging to minorities.