Industrious, meticulous, hardworking and diligent, are some of the words that befit the veil clad women at the Joyce Meyer Ministries’ Golconda Community Center. The center started in 2001 with a view to empower and encourage Women and has been doing so up until this point!

Situated in the heart of a highly conservative Muslim neighborhood, the center has been a refuge of sorts, a pillar of strength to the local Muslim women. Tailoring and embroidery, a staple pass time that fetches a reasonable income, is taught at this special school of learning.

The Center offers a 6 month course in the artistry of the above mentioned. Students who enroll come without any prior experience of these vocational art forms. They come with a curiosity and an urge to learn this craft, so that they can make a small living out of sewing clothes and curtains.

The course is designed in a way that helps women be self sufficient and further more adds a sense of self worth to this orthodox body of women. The typical groups of students are from ages 15 to 20 (The women in this age group are soon to be brides, as it’s the normal age for Muslim women to be married) and another group that constitutes of middle aged married women from ages 35 to 45.

The school is abuzz with activity throughout the day. Forty five year old Mubeena (name changed) is the senior most of the amateur tailors. One can see that she is driven, driven to excel, to be someone, something creative… It’s an amazing sight!

Upon its completion, the students make 30 patterns of clothes from traditional garments to modern Indian fashions. Intricate styles of sewing like Karchob and Kasida that are popular are given importance so that the students can be on par with the industry standards of fashion. The students are awarded a brand new state of the art sewing machine each on their graduation day.

Kurta (Indian top) is sold in the market for 120-150 Rupees. Most students stitch at home and sell the same in the neighborhood for about 80-100 Rupees. An embroidered Saree (Indian ethnic drape) costs about 5000 Rupees in the market, is sold by the students, word of mouth for 2000-2500 Rupees. Eventually the students get discovered within the community and are flooded with work. On an average a tailor from the center stitches 10 - 15 Kurtas per month, which is a grand success within the community.

The community is also home for the children of the Community students. Children are introduced to basic computer knowledge plus the bonus of a math/science tutor, who helps them each day with their homework. At present there are 2 computers at the center that are shared by 30 children.

Due to the conservative nature of Muslims, the school has some stringent rules, one being - Men Not allowed! This gives the men of the neighborhood an assurance that it’s safe to send the women of their household to the center.

The past 8 years have spearheaded a revolution in the old city area of Hyderabad, a revolution with an army of women armed with sewing needles and silken cloth, smiley faces with an air of self confidence.

The Joyce Meyer Ministries community center is not just 'teaching' tailoring and embroidery courses, but it is 'being' a beacon of hope to all those that study there. It’s raising the bar for womanhood across the old city of Hyderabad. It’s not just helping people by teaching them trades, but it’s shaping their minds to believe that they are a generation of change!