Craft of business

Two years ago,SEWA,an organisation founded in 1972 in Gujarat by Ela Bhatt for poor,self-employed women,had launched Ruaab SEWA Artisans Producer Company Limited to promote business of embroidery for home-based women. The Delhi chapter operates at three locations: Sundernagari,Rajiv Nagar and New Ashok Nagar.

Here,Ruaab SEWA has identified women who make bindis,bangles and bed sheets and embroider. Embroidery skills are passed on from generation to generation. The women have made use of it by selling products such as cushions,garments and bags through a series of middlemen and suppliers,who would often take most of the capital involved as commission.

Ruaab SEWA started in-house production three months ago,allowing the women to interact directly with the sampling team of international brands. They are free to speak out their opinion in terms of design. Though latent in its activities ever since it started,the programme has finally picked up after their two-day exhibition debut at Shri Ram Kala Kendra earlier this month,with many more to come.

Tabassum is one of many women whose skills were exploited by the middlemen. Given their financial plight and inability to step out of their houses,the women would give in to their demands and inconsistent salary.

“I never knew the world outside my home before I started working here. Now I travel an hour from my home to this centre every day. And those thekedars who pestered me time and again with their new deals? I do not think twice before saying no,” says Tabassum,who has been working with SEWA for seven years. She says a regular salary of Rs 5,000 has given her the freedom to purchase anything she likes. Recently,she got a loan of a Rs 50,000 for her house. Her next move is to help her husband in his shoemaking business.

The products created by these women still go unnoticed. Their creations — bags,garments,dupattas,cushion covers,etc — are available at their centres. A vibrant collection with intricate designs and an option of customised products are also available. But does the lack of popularity affect them? “One day,a firang from Paris came and loved my designs. She bought my garments too. Small things like this always make me happy,” Tabassum says.

Does she ever makes clothes for herself? “Rarely,” she brushes off a stray thread from the cloth and says. “I mostly buy clothes for myself.”