South Asia Foundation's initaitive in Varanasi & Mirzapur

Title of the project: DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL ARTISANS & SHGs

FORMATION OF RURAL PEOPLE

Project area: Varanasi & Mirzapur

South Asia Foundation is a registered (non-profit, private) voluntary organization, dedicated to the cause of upliftment of downtrodden people of the society with special emphasis on crafts sector by creating job opportunities. The Foundation is working with the aim to foster co-operation and understanding among the people of the region; and to rekindle the spirit of humaneness and oneness. The thrust areas are:

Artisan based income generation programme in remote locations with special emphasis on women.

Research and organising events based on classical and folk art & culture of the region.

Dissemination of information and publication of books and information literature on important issues like Ethnicity Management, Panchayati Raj, Micro-credit based economy, Arts and crafts, Development and Governance, Strengthening Civil Institutions etc.

Policy planning and advocacy on artisan led sustainable model of development.

Financial, managerial and marketing supports to artisans.

Making of films based on important social issues.

Providing logistical and material support to organizations working on environment issues.

Setting up of Crafts Development Centres and craft based Vocational training Institutes.

Documentation of various traditional arts & crafts.

Conflict Resolution.

South Asia Foundation has set up a Crafts Development Centre (first ever in that region) at Namchi, South Sikkim where requisite logistical supports are provided to the artisans of Sikkim. SAF has introduced micro-credit facilities through Self Help Groups for the first time in that region.

South Asia Foundation is the first voluntary organization from outside Sikkim to have gone and started all round development work over there. It has been able to make considerable impact in the State in a short span of time through its Project, since 1997, called Rural Economic Advancement Program (REAP/SIKKIM). Since then it has been able to provide skill training and direct support to more than 2700 local people in the crafts sector. It has also set up a Craft Development Centre. It has also set up various Satellite Training Centres, in the crafts sector, in remote locations to reach out to people and to bring development prospects, right at the doorsteps of the rural poor who are basically deprived of the development perspective & neglected by the policy planners.

In addition, the Foundation is running various socio-economic development programmes in UP. It includes the organization of health camps, social awareness workshops, micro credit training, craft melas and festivals such as Kashi Utsav at Varanasi, one of the largest attended three-day whole night classical music festival in the country, every year in collaboration with Sankat Mochan Foundation, a Varanasi based organization, whose effort to save the river Ganga has invited global attention and created international concern to the plight of the river. Also, a secondary school is being set up at Gujarat in an earthquake-hit village at Rapar in Gujarat with the support of Prof. Amartya Sen’s Pratichi Trust.

The Foundation is working towards making issue based films of human interest. Well-known Directors are working on these projects. SAF has produced a film on Sikkim and a film on Ganga, covering human-interest element. Its support in production of a Bengali film, which is a sequel to Satyajit Ray’s much acclaimed film Aranyer din ratri (days and nights of the forest), entitled Abar araanye (again in the forest) directed by Goutam Ghose has generated very positive response from the audience. It has received the viewers’ award for the best feature film in Asian Film Festival, New Delhi. It has also bagged a coveted National Award in three categories for the year 2003 to the Best Director’s Award.

The Foundation’s film “The Treasure in the Snow: A Film on Sikkim” received the National Award with the citation “The award for the Best Promotional Film of the year 2002 is given to the English film THE TREASURE IN THE SNOW: A FILM ON SIKKIM for its weaving of a magical cinematic spell that vividly captures the mist and mystery of the abundant natural beauty of Sikkim – its history, people and culture”.

The Foundation has been taking out regular publications on important issues concerning South Asia and has also been working for dissemination of information for better understanding and more human approach in the region. South Asia Foundation has a very qualified professional & dedicated team to undertake and implement projects with qualitative approach.

The Foundation had worked actively towards peaceful resolution to the present conflict in Nepal by engaging all the stakeholders onto the negotiating table and through regular interaction with all the parties concerned. The Foundation has organized several seminars, workshops, interactions and meetings on this issue. It is publishing regular information bulletin for wide circulation on the latest development on the issue.

Highlights &

Major Activities Undertaken

q Organizing Kashi Utsav (a 3-day whole night classical music festival) at Tulsighat, Varanasi, every year in collaboration with Sankat Mochan Foundation.

q Festival of Indian Classical Music & Dance at Kathmandu, Nepal.

q Setting up of Carpet Weaving Training Centres in Varanasi and Sikkim.

q Purobia—a fesival of crafts & culture, covering artisans and artistes from 11 eastern States which was first ever in the region at Gangtok, Sikkim.

q Documentation on Crafts and Culture of Sikkim & Uttaranchal alongwith rich visuals.

q Co-sponsor of ‘Itihaas’ at Kathmandu, Nepal in aid of Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust for preservation of UNESCO identified cultural heritage sites.

q Workshops on rural artisans in Saranath, Kathmandu, Gangtok, Namchi and Varanasi.

q Regular Seminars on the role of South Asia in global politics where many eminent personalities from India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh participate.

q Workshops on social development and role of cooperative sectors and banks in rural areas of Varanasi.

q Seminars on Co-operation among India-Nepal-Bangladesh on Rural Employment, Economic Liberalisation and Ecological Protection at Kathmandu.

q Workshops on Child Labour in crafts sector in and around Varanasi at Saranath.

q Seminar on environment and ecology at Kathmandu in collaboration with Kathmandu Municipality, Nepal.

q Launched an integrated programme called ‘Sampurna Kisan’ in Varanasi. (This programme integrated farming, sericulture and handloom weaving).

q Organising free health camps and setting up of handloom training centers at villages Kacharia and Shivarampur, Varanasi & Namchi, South Sikkim.

q Setting up of Crafts Development Centres at Varanasi (UP) and Namchi (Sikkim).

q Setting up of Weavers Co-operative Society at Bhuvneshwar, Orissa.

q Workshops on Micro-credit Management at Namchi with SIDBI & at Varanasi with SBI.

q Workshop on gender justice at all 4 District headquarters of Sikkim with NCW.

q National level Craft Melas at Varanasi, Kanpur, Gangtok, Kathmandu.

q Participation in Expo at Hanover, Germany & Social Development Fair at Delhi.

q Launching of first ever micro credit programme at Sikkim.

q Regular publications on important issues & working towards dissemination of information for better understanding & more human approach in South Asia.

q Working for promotion of rural artisans through formation of Self-Help Groups & cooperative societies for larger community participation & effective interactive approach for sustainable development especially in the remote rural areas.

q Making of documentaries and issue based feature films of human interest.

q Completed production of documentary films on Ganga, Sikkim, Surajkund Crafts Mela & Banarasi Weavers covering crafts & culture. (SAF Film on Sikkim received National Award and also selected in the Indian Panorama Section.)

q Detail Documentation of Crafts & Culture of Sikkim and Uttaranchal.

q Workshop on Panchayati Raj and Sustainable Development in Sikkim and Varanasi.

q Regular Design Development workshops in Sikkim, U.P. with NIFT, IIT & NID.

q Development of Natural Dye based Products with IIT, Delhi & NID Graduates.

q Setting up of a Secondary School at Rapar, Gujarat with Pratichi Trust.(u/p)

q Setting up of a Hand-made Paper Unit at Varanasi.

q Seminar on Ganga with reference to Pollution where several MPs, cutting across part-line, participated and unanimously agreed to work collectively for its remedy.

q Documentation of Arts & Crafts of Nepal with special reference to revival of languishing crafts.

q Setting up of a Potters cum Crafts Village at the outskirts of Delhi.

q Organising regular crafts Mela.

q Seminar on conflict Resolution in Nepal.

q Organising Annual South Asian Film Festival in New Delhi and Goa.

q Film on Arts and Crafts of Sikkim.

q Film on Monasteries of Sikkim with reference to its Arts & Crafts.

q Publication of Books on Arts & Crafts, Governance, Micro-credit, Panchayati Raj.

q Development work based on Arts & Crafts in Nepal.

q Workshops and Seminars on Conflict Resolution in Nepal.

q Research and Documentation on Regional Co-operation in South Asia in collaboration with Jammu University

q Development of a Potters’ Village at the outskirts of Delhi.

PROJECT PROPOSAL

Even though Varanasi and Mirzapur have a rich socio-cultural background with various handicrafts units, having large number of artisans, yet, these places are facing some of the most difficult economic challenges of modern India. Since the globalization, shrinking of export markets, changing in various parameters and lack of any comprehensive package of artisan development are contributing to lack of employment opportunities and younger generation preferring to opt for odd jobs. At one point of time these artisans used to contribute huge foreign exchange earning to the government and their creativity attracted a significant employment opportunities to millions in these areas.

These artisans also attributed to tourism promotion because of their artistic and innovative creations which also resulted to inflow of foreign currency in many ways.

The Foundation feels if these artisans are organized and adequate interventions are brought in then development of these artisans can be effectively achieved.

Various entrepreneurship development programmes, formation of Self Help Groups through larger community participation and creation of micro and small enterprises, can change the economic condition of these areas.

Effective micro finance interventions and linking the artisans of these areas with banks and financial institutions can see the growth of these artisans through viable economic support.

Kachchwa and Mazwa blocks of Mirzapur and surrounding areas of Varanasi district are facing some of the most difficult financial challenges due to extreme poverty and lack of tangible economic opportunity.

A five year plan with three years of training and development and two years of progress evaluation and development of marketing channels can make the project viable which will result in creating employment opportunity, development of entrepreneurship, enhancing of skill and finally creating an effective & viable artisan cluster in these areas.

OBJECTIVE OF THE PROJECT

The Project will be focused mainly in Varanasi and Mirzapur, where large numbers of crafts persons live. A data base would be prepared on the socio-economic conditions of the crafts-persons of the area so that possible intervention can be envisaged.

The objective would also include conducting of base line diagnostic survey of the area and identifying the people engaged in various handicraft profession and those who are interested to take the training and develop the various craft items prevailing over there.

The Project would organize artisans into SHGs with a view to enabling them to take up economic activity for sustainable development with larger community participation.

The Project would also look into the possibilities of preparing a road map that would prepare various steps like skill up gradation, design development support, marketing tie up, managerial skill and micro finance support.

The Project would also envisage creating job opportunities by these interventions.

Special emphasis would be given to local crafts available in these areas.

Initiative would be taken for setting up of Training cum Production Centre for better marketing as per the requirement of the local and outside areas. Highly professional and qualified designers will be engaged to bring a new look to existing products with diversification, by value of addition, that will introduce new designs through conducting design workshops as per need of the local area.

A dedicated website for creating marketing avenues would also be developed.

The Project will envisage non displacement of the people so that younger people would be encouraged to take up the acquisition of skill in the crafts sector so that traditional craft activities are continued without interruption with a view to create job opportunities in traditional sector.

This project could be seen as an artisan led sustainable model of development.

PROJECT GOALS:

· Identifying the key economic activities & analyse various parameters attributing to poverty & lack of economic growth prevalent in the target area.

· Survey the local arts, crafts and other rural activities in these areas, for developing it and finding solutions to the causes of poverty.

· Encouraging people to take up local craft and other development activities.

· Creating and linking with various local and national marketing channels.

· One of the project goals is to empower the target groups.

· Organizing and improving the socio-economic conditions through effective micro finance management.

· Organizing various SHGs for larger community participation.

· Requisite intervention for developing entrepreneurship skill.

PROPOSED OTHER ACTIVITIES:

Ø Local level training camp for NGOs, artisans and other interested people.

Ø Orientation sessions for women and beneficiaries.

Ø Regular workshops and interactions with the target group.

Ø Creating social awareness

Ø Community based orientation programmes to beneficiaries on issues related to viable economic activities

Ø Providing medical support and improving health & hygiene conditions.

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT:

COMMUNITY BASED DEVELOPMENT

Sensitizing the beneficiaries into formation of Self Help Groups for larger community participation and enhancing their economic activities.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Imparting skill training and upgradation of skill of the target groups. Creating marketing and managerial skills among them. These will also help in setting up of micro and small enterprises.

DESIGN AND MARKETING DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Market based design and creating of adequate market are key components of any economic development activities. Special emphasis would be given to understand the changing market trends so that design development and product diversification can meet the market challenges. Development of a dedicated website will enhance their marketing opportunities.

INTERVENTION OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

Any economic development activities cannot be complete without adequate and reasonable support of the banks and financial institutions. Since the financial institutions do need to safeguard their outflow/ credit support to the beneficiaries, thus, creating of economic opportunities of the beneficiaries can ensure growth in this sector. Effective micro finance management, creation of revolving funds, training in SHGs’ sustainability and managerial-marketing awareness can address these issues effectively.

BENEFICIARIES

The beneficiaries of this project will be mostly poor, needy, below poverty line as per the

Data available by base line survey. List of the beneficiaries will be enclosed in due course of time. Viability of the economic development and craft persons has been envisaged as per the local prevailing situation. Creating marketing opportunities will also be taken into consideration while selecting the beneficiaries for this project. 1500 beneficiaries will be targeted and 100-150 SGHs will be formed to meet the project objectives.

PROJECT DURATION

The duration of the project has been set as 5 years keeping in mind the formation of a strong and professional base for the Self Help Groups. The duration of the project will be in two phases with three years dedicated to training and development of entrepreneurship and remaining two years for sustainability and stabilization of these groups.

Training in SHGs and formation of such groups.

Imparting skill training and development of skills.

Creating marketing and managerial skill

Development of marketing channels.

Entrepreneurship development.

Linking with bank and financial institutions.

Sustainability and viability of these groups with detailed evaluation & monitoring.

Key strategies to achieve the goal:-

ü Professional and development sensitive committed people will be engaged. Local sensitivity will be taken into consideration in relation to selection of economic activities, artisans, types of crafts and representation of the area.

ü Intensive base line survey and extensive scrutinizing of the data would be important component of the Project.

ü Special emphasis would be given to involve women groups so that they get an opportunity to supplement family income.

ü Banks and various financial institutions would be tied up for effective implementation of the project.

ü Extensive marketing network would be built so that the crafts persons get access to continuous marketing of their products.

SAF's DEVELOPMENT OF POTTERS IN NEW DELHI

SETTING UP OF A POTTERS’ CLUSTER 

IN NEW DELHI

South Asia Foundation (SAF) has been working, for nearly two decades, through various initiatives to improve the people to people contact and cooperation within South Asia. It has worked with artisans, cultural and social activists, policy planners, artists, filmmakers, NGO’s et al to design and implement programs that yield sustainable results.

The Foundation has provided skill training in various handicrafts in Sikkim, UP &  Orissa. Large number of people mostly women were benefited from these programmes.

In the outskirts of Delhi, one can locate few villages that have a sizable number of Potters working to earn a decent livelihood for survival, but with dignity and honour.

Incidentally, Delhi has special attraction for these environment-friendly products where these artisan (Pot makers) use their unique creative talents and make some of the most commonly used day to day utility items, ranging from flower pots to kitchen ware to various decorative items. Interestingly, most of these products are of daily uses with attractive design, available at an affordable price. They shape these beautiful products with their own hands, literally meaning shaping their destiny with their own hands through a noble profession. A large number of people are also involved in marketing these items, thus giving them not only economic independence, through self income generation, but also an honourable living without damaging the environment.

Some of these families have been involved in this profession for decades together. Ironically, even though hard labour is involved in producing these materials, a unique creative mind is essentially required to keep pace with market trends & changing domestic demands. Keeping the price factor in mind, these artisans need to work with marketing skills so that their products are in constant demand at competitive prices, hence being able to involve the whole family through self-income generation.

The Foundation feels that these highly unorganized sectors, with need based support, can definitely improve their potential that will help them enhance their productivity, creativity & economic conditions. It is essential that organising them in a systematic manner be also of utmost importance as that will ultimately create a collective responsibility towards their profession. With larger community participation it will be a role model for sustainable development in this highly unorganized sector.

This continuity will further reduce unemployment in their community. Specially, the younger generations in these families are losing interest in this profession, as there is lack of scope, basic facilities. Ignorance to various salient features like self-employments, organising bank loan(s) and minimizing the role of middle man should be considered so as to make their products more competitive and establishing effective marketing network.

Eventually, the Foundation hopes to make a Potters’ village at the outskirts of Delhi with unique facilities so that it is a complete village in itself with required infrastructure.

It is perceived that this village when established can help them settle with dignity & honour, where all the required infrastructural facilities can be built in a phased manner. In the 70s’, Railway alone used to provide more than 20 lakh potter families self-employment everyday. But with the introduction of paper and plastic products, these people eventually lost a huge economic opportunity and resorted to odd jobs, at times leading to unemployment and even displacement & eventually migrating outside in search of livelihood.

ARTS &  CRAFTS OF DELHI

Delhi prides itself in its rich crafts tradition that struck root during the reign of Emperor Shahjahan. It was in his new city of Shahjahanabad that arts and crafts proliferated.

Artisans and crafts-persons were invited, bought, won in battles or gifted by other sovereigns. They settled within the estates, in the karkhanas (workshops) of the noblemen and princes, and nurtured their special styles & sensibilities with a finesse developed over years of learning. The evolving Shahjahanabad was a maze of avenues and alleys, dictated by trade & commerce. Specific streets derived their names and character from different crafts & occupations.

Their inheritors, painstakingly, and often against all odds, carried on the secret code of these special knowledge systems, with their fingers, their eyes, mind and soul. Today what we see as meticulously beautiful in craft, design and conception is a real testimony to this inheritance. Despite modernity and its aggressive onslaught, despite urban sharks and middlemen, many traditional crafts have survived and have evolved new parameters of aesthetic and commercial value.

Craft, unlike so-called 'fine' art, is an expression of functional necessity, directly affecting peoples' daily lives. Design intervention and adaptations have rejuvenated some crafts which are alive and pulsating in the labyrinthine lanes of Delhi. Delhi has the seat of many crafts specially zari & zardozi, miniature paintings, jewellery of various metals, musical instruments, terracotta and blue potteries, glazed and ceramic potteries, etc. The tradition of the Delhi school of miniature painting has continued from the time of Emperor Jehangir.

Today Hazarilal of Old Delhi is the only practitioner of the Delhi Blue Potteries that were used for the blue tiles of pre-Mughal and Mughal domes, a style inherited from Persia.

History of Potters’ Village in Delhi

Even though there is no written history about potters’ settlement in Delhi but potters of Uttam Nagar at the outskirts of New Delhi are believed to have been settled through the initiative of the then Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi, in 1968. The first potters’ settlement of Delhi was Bindapur, adjacent to Uttam Nagar. The settlement of Uttam Nagar is a unique case of group migration and solidarity.

Bindapur and then Uttam Nagar were carved out to rehabilitate 500 odd potters families migrated from various parts of Rajasthan, Haryana and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Today, that area has the concentration of huge potters families scattered and expanded to Vikas Nagar, Vikaspuri, Mohan Nagar & Uttam Nagar. The area which was created to cater 500 potters’ families, in 1968, is congested with a huge population of potters and non-potters settlers due to increase in the family size and successive migrations from the neighbouring states. These have put tremendous pressure on the amenities & little infrastructures over the years, thus, leading to lack of basic amenities in adjoining areas.

Sainik Enclave, off Uttam Nagar came into existence in 1978 with large number of potters from the neighbouring states settling there & started their livelihood through artistic potteries. There are more than 900 potters’ families, making small diyas (lamps) to large pottery items that decorate posh houses to plush hotels in Delhi. Their products are sold in various roadside shops, to middlemen & to state sponsored marketing events.

Delhi, that had been the homes of many craftsmen, is fast encountering with the fact that craftsmen are picking up odd jobs due to paucity of markets and economic consideration. Some of the finest crafts have already turned into languishing crafts. If adequate protection and support is not given, some crafts will disappear from Delhi eventually.