‘Kabbey Upekshita’-a soliloquy of Rural women artisans- an initiative by Suri Natun Juger Pratyasha, a registered NGO Rural artisans of Birbhum, Bankura, of West Bengal and adjacent areas of Jharkhand State are custodians

of great art and heritage, and the astounding variety and exquisite quality of the hand made products puts then in the niche collector’s category globally. Ironically, despite in high levels of skills of these artisans and high national/ international demand for these products, the artisans associated with many crafts have been teetering on the brink of subsistence and are often forced to abandon their traditional skills for unskilled labour markets.

They are particularly handicapped by their inability to access resources, capital information, markets, as also the entitlements from the government and the society. This is further compounded by their lack of mobility and illiteracy.Markets remain inaccessible to many craftsperson because they often do not understand the dynamics of mainstream markets and full value chains. Lacking interface with markets, they are often exploited at the hands of middlemen and aggregators. Mostly, their products are either sold at the local markets or to middlemen and the craftsmen are meagerly paid/ compensated. Given the vulnerability of the poor, the terms of trade are exploitatively adverse when they interface with the markets and participate in the value chains.

‘ Kabbey Upekshita’- a soliloquy of rural women artisans is an initiative by Suri Natun Juger Pratyasha that links primary producers to mainstream markets. Under the initiative, Pratyasha is bringing together a network of producer organizations, and SHGs to plug the gaps, build their capacities and help them access markets through business development services and handholding. The trend of sale of different handicrafts products in the Expos and Exhibitions reveals that the demand for kantha Stich, Embroidery, batik Print products, Dokra Metal Crafts are increasing day-by-day. We have identified such handicraft activities as thrust areas for intensive development for creation of employment opportunity.

The following measures have taken for intensive development of the handicraft sector:

1) Organizing skill development training program for up gradation of skills of the existing artisans.2) Organizing design development workshop for creation of new design and new products.3) Arrangement for setting up common source for procurement of raw materials by the artisans.4) Setting up of Common Facility Centre for installation of modern machines and for creation of infrastructure for modern

facility so that the artisans may get these facilities on payment of reasonable charges.

Ladies of Bengal have been practicing embroidery and kantha stich work as household crafts from time immemorial and specimen of their work is best exemplified on the Kantha Which has now become widely known and appreciated. The embroidery and kantha work are now being used in almost all the garments and dress materials including decorative fabrics. Our initiative coalesces the traditional creativity of Rural Bengal’s rich craft heritage with contemporary design and marketing strategies. Marketing of the products developed under various workshop for design and product development is a strong factor in making the rural artisans self-sustained. Our Project is the celebration of the collaborative endeavours by the gifted craftsmen and the generation next of Bengal, it gives new expression to the traditional crafts.

a) handicrafts constitutes an important segment of unorganized sector of Indian economy.b) India is one of the important suppliers of handicrafts to the world market.c) It has a high potential for employment.d) Low capital investment.e) High ration of value additionf) High potential for export and foreign exchange earnings.

This Livelihood promotional program has been designed that the initial tasks involved are tracking the hardcore poor through participatory Rural appraisal, where in the village community collectively select the needy women. Thereafter ‘Suri Natun Juger Pratyasha’ helps to identify a feasible enterprise, which easily manageable by the beneficiary and trains her on enterprise management and simultaneously engages in her confidence building. Once the beneficiary is identified, as capable of managing such an enterprise, the relevant asset is donated to her ( In Kind, not in Cash) via an asset transfer ceremony.Regular training and hand holding support is provided to her, both technical and with respect to consumption, till the enterprise starts generating surplus. She is also trained to reach a stage of basic literacy and is educated on certain issues of social importance.It is expected that beneficiaries would graduate to mainstream finance within 24 months and henceforth embark on a sustainable human development path.Objectives:1. To bring in economic, social and inspirational changes in the lives of the poor families.2. To help the poor families graduate to mainstream finance at the end of 24 months intervention.3. To form effective village community that will act as guardians of the poor families after the completion of the

program.

Components of the program: ( process for upliftment of poorest of poor)a) Selection of the beneficiaries.b) Enterprise selection.c) Training.d) Asset Transfere) Follow up and monitoringf) Graduation

Operational Organisation:1. Perspective and vision building.2. Product development/ designing of services.3. Organisational structure.4. Business plan development.5. Monitoring forms.6. Management Information Systems ( MIS)7. Group Management.8. Leadership training/ strengthening governance.

In a male-dominated society where income opportunities for the poor are few, women are less likely to receive them.’Kabbey upekshita’- is a subsidiary organization of ‘Suri Natun juger Pratyasha’ and while doing its business venture it has also eager for do something for disadvantaged artisans and underprivileged rural women. ‘Kabbey upekshita’possesses some believe that they should do something for society though their social activities by nurturing and promoting their skills and capabilities. ‘Suri Natun Juger Pratyasha’ firmly believes that economic independence is the first step towards self-reliance and empowerment. Therefore, we decided to merchandise from several selected highly skilled group of artisans covering Nahshi Kantha, Wall Mat and handicrafts, Dokra Crafts and other utility items. ‘ Suri Natun juger Pratyasha’ has taken some training and production program for underprivileged persons to give them better understanding regarding market demand, product development and quality control. The ultimate objective of ‘ Suri Natun juger pratyasha’ is to build sustainable communities where respect for human person is held high and no differentiation based on caste, gender or religion is prevalent.

We targeted specific groups, who express insight power through their skills in different handicrafts. Due to lack of proper channel, opportunity and direction, these groups are not getting their real benefit in terms of sustainable income. ‘ Suri Natun juger pratyasha’ is trying to break this barrier through giving them all kinds of support.

In a certain point of the social development process, a few socially determined factors created a cultural hemisphere, which pushed the civilization not to think women as equal to the men. This cultural phenomenon changed the thought process of society, the society started discrimination between women and men, and ultimately women become a deprived part of society.