Women's empowerment

Started in late 2009, the women’s tie-dye group is highly motivated, and improving rapidly, but still needs some help in capacity development. To jump start their business, we provided a small grant to seed a revolving fund for purchase of fabric. Field staff also provided ongoing business coaching and suggestions for product development. On the technical side, we facilitated preparation of a full color catalogue, price sheet, and web page for the range of products the group makes.

The tie-dye group was also in need of a stable stove for dyeing and a disposal area for the waste from the dying process. Although the process utilizes all natural products, the waste needs to be disposed of in one, well-marked location, not merely poured out onto the earth. We built a drainage area that also serves as a compost pile to mulch the leaves and bark used for dying.

Thanks to Planeterra, Mangrove Action Project, and Naucrates for their partnership on this project.

Labels: activities, handicrafts, Hands-on, women's empowerment

Fellow Award Winner visits BTN

Jagriti is a community-based organization empowering poor, disadvantaged hill women in India through the sale of locally-produced herbal and organic goods. Mimi Chueng of Andaman Discoveries met force behind the venture (and fellow 2008 SEED Award winner), Mamta Chandarat, at the United Nations Commission for Sustainable Development (UNCSD) in New York last June.

“We strive to improve livelihoods by increasing social, environmental, and economic sustainability,” said Mamta of her project. Seeing the obvious parallels between her work and that of the Ban Talae Nok women’s soap group, she visited Andaman Discoveries in November to see the operation firsthand and share her advice.

“Mamta is an expert in handicrafts, and gave us many ideas to improve our process,” said Ladda "Pink" Aharn of Ban Talae Nok. Mamta also participated in a village homestay, where she fell in love with the people, natural surroundings, and especially the food. The Ban Talae Nok soap cooperative is making substantial progress in domestic marketing, garnering increasing interest from hotels and crafts shops in Bangkok, Khao Lak, and Phuket. “Now we can be more efficient, and this will benefit the village,” added Pink.

Andaman Discoveries gratefully acknowledges SEED for sponsoring Mamta’s visit.

Labels: handicrafts, Mamta Chandarat, women's empowerment

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Labels: community, handicrafts