Starting with just ₹10,000, the skilled artisan has turned her passion for crochet into a growing livelihood while empowering other women through free training.

Shillong, August 13: Refusing to depend solely on the prospect of a government job, Lucrezia Dkhar, a skilled crochet artisan from Khliehriat in East Jaintia Hills, has transformed her passion for handmade crafts into a livelihood that supports her family.

Now residing in Nongrah, Shillong, Dkhar creates a wide range of handmade products, including bags, garments, flowers, dolls, clips, hairbands and decorative items. Using yarn, crochet hooks and knitting needles, she produces her creations in different colours, patterns and designs.

She regularly participates in trade fairs, exhibitions and local markets to showcase and sell her work. Recently, she set up a stall at the Women’s Market organised at All Saints’ Cathedral in Shillong.

What made her stall stand out was that Dkhar did not simply display her finished products. She brought along her yarn and crochet hooks and continued working at the stall, giving visitors an opportunity to see firsthand the patience, precision and effort involved in creating each piece.

Dkhar began her venture with a modest investment of ₹10,000 and gradually expanded the business through her own efforts. Today, she receives orders from customers in different places and delivers her products to homes and markets, including Sohra. Some of her creations have also found buyers in Bengaluru and other parts of India.

She promotes her products through social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, helping her reach customers beyond the local markets.

Dkhar said she had also applied online for government assistance through the PRIME Hub. However, due to the long waiting period and difficulties in accessing support, she decided to continue developing her enterprise using her own resources.

Her home workspace has since grown into a small production unit, where she receives assistance from others. But her entrepreneurial journey does not end with her own business.

Dkhar also provides free crochet training to young women, helping them learn a skill that could enable them to earn independently and build livelihoods of their own.

Although attracting customers and accessing larger markets remain challenges, she continues to promote her creations through exhibitions, local markets and direct interaction with buyers.

Her story demonstrates how a skill traditionally practised within the home can be transformed into a sustainable source of income. It also highlights the contribution of women artisans who combine creativity and entrepreneurship to support their families while keeping the tradition of handmade crafts alive.

With every strand of yarn she weaves, Dkhar is not only creating beautiful handmade products but also crafting a story of determination, dignity and self-reliance.