Sahaj

Masters in hand-beading: The Mix N Match Story

The Dahod district of Gujarat, India, is comprised of tribal people who have long depended on agriculture to make a living. This means that their work is very seasonal, leaving long gaps between the times they can toil the land. Many men in the village leave their families and migrate to cities to look for seasonal work there, leaving the women behind to fend for themselves.

It was in this environment that a group of people in a non-government organization decided to branch off and help the women develop their arts and crafts in the hopes to achieve sustainable employment. Their mission is: “Socio-Economic empowerment of the woman through art and craft based activities to secure her position in society where she can think independently, become a role model for future generations, and above all does not have to prove herself because of her gender.” In order to achieve this goal, this organization trains and empowers tribal women groups with vocational education, helping them create functional products and make a living. The group has grown to include more than 2,700 tribal artisans (working part-time or full-time on the crafts) from 52 different villages of the area.

Boori, seen above, joined this artisan cooperative cooperative 9 years ago as a widow, a great disadvantage for a woman in her region. Before joining the cooperative, she and her community were facing horrible hardships. Thanks to Fair Trade, Boori was able to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation, giving her the opportunity to re-marry. This is almost unheard of in her tribal society, but is a testament of how Fair Trade is directly challenging social structures and reshaping them so they can benefit everyone. Women in this cooperative went from making an average of Rs. 500-1000 per month to making Rs. 3000-4000 per month. Apart from the increased income opportunities within the village, women have also gained social status within their family, community and various government and banking institutions. Thanks to the success of the program, men started joining and now make up 10% of the group.

Please see below a list of the products made by this artisan cooperative, carried by SETU- the Bridge to Artisans.

Mix-N-Match Sling Bag

Sling bag with vibrant prints. The edge of the bag is trimmed with intricate hand beading. The front flap closes with Velcro, and it covers a large zipped front pocket...

Mix-N-Match Sling Bag

Beaded Clutches

Mix-N-Match Coin Purse

Mix-N-Match Cosmetic/Jewelery Case

Sabai Grass Placemats

Sabai Grass Pot Holders

Mix N Match Pot Holders (sets of 2)

Elephant Trail Hanging Strings

Sabai Grass Hot Pads

Jeco Bead Bangles

Tribal Magnet

Bead Knot Key Chain

Bead Ball Key Chain

Tribal Key Chains

Elephant Ornament

Hanging Bird Trail

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