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Artisans

Artisans

TARAgram aims to create sustainable livelihood for the poor in rural India by providing them with the tools and opportunities to become entrepreneurs or primary producers. TARAgram also supports by connecting these artisans to mainstream markets.

Sukhdevi

Paper Products Maker

Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, India

My name is Sukhdevi. I am from Jijara village near Orchha in Madhya Pradesh. I was unemployed so my husband was the only income earner in our family. We were struggling to make ends meet and take care of our 2 children.

Eight years ago, I joined TARAgram when they approached me with an opportunity to learn new skills and earn money. Initially my husband and I were skeptical because I had never gone out of the house to work. However, TARAgram provided me a secure and convenient place with other women workers to work with and  soon I started enjoying learning new skills.

I make paper products like diaries, notebooks, lamp shades, etc. My job is to create  quality paper products with handmade paper. I went through 3 months of training till I became good enough to make products which were of good quality that could be sold. Now I am very glad to be earning a regular income for my family of Rs3000 to Rs.4000 per month. With that I am able to support my family and able to educate my children properly. My self confidence went up and now I also teach other women that join TARAgram to earn a livelihood. The respect I get from my family and village has gone up tremendously since I started earning.

 

Guddu

Team Leader Paper Products

Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, India

My name is Guddu. I am from Jijara village near Orchha in Madhya Pradesh. I have been associated with TARAgram for 24 years now and my life has truly transformed for the better

Before I joined TARAgram, we would struggle to make ends meet. I worked as a daily wage earner cutting and selling wood. Income was never enough or regular. Plus the work was hazardous. I jumped at the opportunity to join TARAgram in 1994 and have done various work with them since then. I was one of the earliest to join the paper making unit and since then I have been involved in this. Now I am in in-charge of the unit. I have 3 sons and one daughter. Wonderfully, my daughter and 3 daugheter-in-laws are all now working with TARAgram. With the earnings here, I have managed to educate my children buy a motorcycle for my sons and even build a house for our family. I have had an opportunity to travel to different places, to train other groups and even been to Delhi to learn new skills. 

As a leader of the Paper Products making unit, I now supervise the women workers, I train them to make good quality products and also ensure proper working of the unit. Over the years, we added and changed many products. I love being here and it is like my extended family.

Chhoti Si Aasha

The Products presented in this catalogue are made as part of the “Stitch-a-Living” program of Choti Si Asha. This program provides an avenue for women from the slums of Chandigarh to earn a sustainable income.