|
The participating women are aged between 30 and 55 years and the majority of them have been involved in the Microfinance Programme for over 10 years. Sambhali Trust organised for the women to attend several business sessions in order to improve their professional skills, and to strengthen their independence and creativity. Sessions with professional trainers were held and guest speakers, from different backgrounds, were invited to advise the self-help group women. In May 2010 the women of the Priyadarshini Adarsh SHG Microfinance Programme participated in a 15 day workshop held by external experts and supervised by the staff of the Department of Woman and Child Development. The experts trained the women in tie-dye, stitching, and embroidery techniques. In January 2011 the clothes and items produced by the participants were presented at the annual Jodhpur Handicraft Fair. At the end of the year the groups were connected with the local market. Sambhali Trust chose to connect them to enterprises that operate in fields related to the training the women did in the past year. Six groups were successfully linked with sari bags producers, a growing business since the Government of Rajasthan officially banned plastic bags from shops. Three groups started working and selling tie-dye products.
|
|
 |
