Often, they don’t return until late in the evening. In the meantime, they leave their eldest child to care for younger siblings. The impact of this quickly became clear: HPs noted very little weight gain among children in households where mothers were absent most of the day. To address this issue, DIR sought to create cottage industries that would allow Basti women to make a fair wage while working flexible hours at home. This would allow them to spend more time with their families and better benefit from DIR’s services, such as cooking classes. With donated sewing machines and samples supplied by fabric and upholstery stores, DIR launched stitching classes in 2010. In keeping with its cost-recovery policy, DIR asked the women to pay for classes but set up a system by which the women could sell items made during class to recoup the enrollment fee. It is a six-month course, with classes held in the morning or evening. The course includes professional training on stitching all types of fabric and patterns. Those who complete the course have the option to take a sewing machine home and work independently. They are paid cash upon delivery of each item made. The sale of these products not only give women work, but it brings additional profits to support the broader work of DIR.