Fuelled by the Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development, self-help groups have become vehicles for women's empowerment in a variety of ways

The Okhamandal region in Gujarat is painted in earthy shades of brown. The vast expanse of land simmers in the hot sun, interrupted only by scattered villages, thorny shrubs and the occasional camel cart. In this mono-hued scenery, sitting outside their humble dwellings are small groups of tribal women. They create a stark contrast to the austere surroundings with their brightly coloured pieces of cloth, over which they are bent, fingers swiftly employing needle and thread to weave an intricate and traditional tale.

These hardy women are members of tribes such as the Vaghers, the Ahirs, the Rabaris, the Charans and communities such as the Lohanas and Harijans. They use age-old skills to embellish their clothes with embroidery, beads and such. The walls of their huts are decorated with richly embroidered wall hangings and their work, depicting human figures, birds and animals, is a vibrant expression of their way of life, their rituals and legends.

This special talent and skill has been given a much-needed fillip by the Tata Chemicals Society for Rural Development (TCSRD) through its handicraft development project, one of the many community development initiatives that this organisation supports.

"Okhamandal is a drought-prone area and some of the local tribes which depend on agriculture to generate income more often that not face harsh times," says Alka Talwar, head of community services at Tata Chemicals in Mithapur. "We are promoting the skills of these women in an endeavour to provide them an alternate source of income and reduce their dependence on farming." Today 17 villages are involved in the handicrafts programme and some 200 women have benefited from it.

For Lakmaben Bala, who lives in Bhimrana village with her husband and two daughters, TCSRD's exertions are a boon. Her husband is unemployed and it is the women of the family who manage the house, earning Rs 3,000 a month from their embroidery work. The handicrafts development programme not only helps the women become wage earners, but also spreads awareness about the traditional crafts of the region and gives them wider exposure.

TSCRD is promoting this initiative through self-help groups (SHGs) in the villages of Okhamandal. Women are encouraged to join the programme and experts train those who need to upgrade their skills in patchwork cutting and appliqué work. A trained woman can earn nearly Rs 500 a month to supplement her household's income.

In Arambada village more than 50 women are active participants and each SHG earns about Rs 20,000 a month. "Rural women are really smart about money and they have plenty of appetite to earn more," says Ms Talwar. Apart from completing their own orders, some of them train other women in their villages.

TCSRD has set up an outlet in Mithapur to display samples of the work these women do (this also serves as a distribution centre). An efficient system has been put in place whereby cut cloth is sent to the women at their villages and then picked up when the work is done. "This allows them to work in their village environment, at a time of their choice," says Ms Talwar.

The time taken to craft individual products depends on the size and extent of embroidery. A small purse can be done in a day whereas a bedcover could take up to three days. "We are still learning," says Ms Talwar. "Quality and timely delivery are issues that we are working on. We have realised that giving incentives for on-time delivery and good quality works better than cutting payments for bad-quality products."

TCSRD's target is to involve 600 women in the programme by 2005. The organisation also plans to build sheds in the villages so that the women there can work in a more organised manner. The success of this initiative is backed by some impressive numbers: sales in 2003 touched Rs 3.84 lakh, twice that of the preceding year.

The range of products has also expanded from traditional material such as bedcovers, tablecloths and cushion covers. Designers guide the Rabari women in the current fashions and trends, for instance shirts with appliqué work or short kurtis. The quality of their work is comparable with the best available in the shops and emporiums of big cities.

Earlier, Tata Chemicals was the primary customer of the products the women made (mainly as gifts), but sales are now driven by a marketing plan developed with the help of trainees from the Tata Administrative Service. The handicrafts programme has taken a big step forward with the decision to market the products under a brand name: 'Okhai' (meaning 'from Ohkamandal').

TCSRD promotes Okhai through exhibitions and sales in Mithapur and Jamnagar. The brand also supplies to Sasha in Kolkata, while product orders have been received from the women associations of the armed forces.

The handicrafts programme has made a fundamental difference to the lives of the tribal women. Some, like Bayaben Devabai Chasia from Batisa village, depend on it for their livelihood. Her husband does not have a regular income and it is her handicraft skills that run the household. Bayaben used to work as a labourer before becoming a member of the local SHG and now earns Rs 1,200 a month. "I am the only woman in my village who is involved with the programme," she says, "but now I am training other women here and we will soon form a team from Batisa."

Suman Manekh, another SHG member, has two sisters and two brothers. With her father having taken voluntary retirement, she is the sole earning member of her large family. "I make around Rs 1,500 a month doing embroidery work for Okhai," she says. "I want to do more work so that I can earn more." Suman's mother and one sister have become members of another SHG and will soon be doing the same work.

Apart from the handicraft development programme, TCSRD also draws on SHGs in Mithapur to teach village women other livelihood skills. Recently, 10 women received training to become beauticians and they now work in Mithapur and the surrounding areas.

TCSRD has used the SHG model to impart skills for alternate income generation in Babrala, Uttar Pradesh, as well. The town, where Tata Chemicals has its fertiliser plant, is another underdeveloped area dependent mainly on agriculture. It is inhabited by the Yadavs and artisan communities such as the Kumhars, the Jatavs, the Koris and the Tellis. Here, too, women are encouraged to be economically independent. TCSRD has been able to get together 558 women in 27 villages around Babrala; these women are now stepping outside their homes to supplement their family incomes.

Meenakshi has been a member of one of the Babrala SHGs since February 2001. She is 26 years old, has studied till the second standard and lives with her husband and six members of his family. She has taken loans for irrigation and a potato plantation and recently borrowed Rs 10,000 to buy a buffalo. "I have more confidence now," she says. "I feel more secure because I can take loans at very low interest rates for new activities." Meenakshi is proud that she has been able to repay all her loans.

At the vocational training centre set up by TCSRD in Babrala, the women are taught self-employment skills. Last year the focus was on tailoring and typing in English and Hindi. Kaushalya, who joined the tailoring course, initially made her own clothes but now takes orders from neighbours and relatives. She manages both her household chores and her tailoring work with a newfound assurance and is happy that she can contribute to the family income.

Sunshine stories such as Kaushalya's reflect the outstanding contribution TCSRD has made to empowering women faced with constant struggles. More important than the money the organisation has helped them secure is the well of self-esteem they can now draw from.

Uploaded on March 9, 2005