Hunnarbaaz series: Skills and jobs in handlooms and handicrafts

Training, entrepreneurship and micro entrepreneurs in handloom and handicraft industry

Let’s look at three of the organizations working in this domain

1. One of them focuses on overall sustainability in the industry. They provide training at two levels, one to those who do not know anything in this sector and two those who have some traditional knowledge which can be upgraded to fulfil the current demand. They help create self- help groups who are also stakeholders and not just artists. The artists also get a share of the profits in addition to their monthly wages.
2. There is another organization that helps differently abled people who though had challenges due to lack of full brain development had the strong will to learn and became a part of the skill based training provided to them. They were trained in art and craft and block painting and are now doing well by working outside and also helping other similar kids at the institute.
3. There is an institute which is a part of NSDC which helps artists create their own producer groups enabling them to become independent. Here in addition to the skill required to make the products they are also provided training in managerial skills so they can manage their own business enterprise.

Success story of Mangayamma

Mangayamma from Nelluru Village near Hyderabad is participating in a spinning competition.

She is one of the 6 contestants who were given 30 mins for this task. Whoever makes the most rolls of thread is the winner. Four hanks are provided and each contestant has to make thread out of it by spinning the wheel.

In her life too she had to go through a tough situation and overcome it. Sometime back her husband went into coma due to a clot in his brain though he recovered he could not get back to work. Now she works with her son and daughter in law at the looms. Her life changed when she became aware of the producers company in an organization which is a part of NSDC. The focus of this organization is to help the weavers become independent by learning skills to manage their own enterprise. She received training in Hyderabad in skills like stitching and weaving and was taken through the entire handloom industry.