As twilight descended upon the horizon, a gathering of 10 women in Jangethi village near Meerut convened swiftly. Clutching their handmade baskets, crafted after a long day’s toil, they commenced negotiations for a fair price. Amidst their exchanges, they also wove plans for their inaugural earnings.
“We’ll purchase offerings for our deities and treats for the children with our first payment,” remarked one, eliciting cheerful nods from the group. The Eco Roots Foundation, a non-governmental organization committed to environmental preservation, has assembled a collective of 20-25 women in the village who specialize in crafting eco-friendly handmade goods.
Amidst the negotiations, Babita, the group’s leader, engaged in price discussions with Vikram, the NGO’s coordinator for Uttar Pradesh. “You’re aware of the market rates… Please quote the appropriate price for our creations,” Babita insisted.
The endeavour entails the extraction of water hyacinth from local water bodies, followed by meticulous cleaning and drying. The women elaborated that the entire process spans 15 days.
“We then weave and create items such as baskets and table mats,” explained Vineeta. Following a brief training session provided by the organization, the women commenced their work in February, with others joining in later. “Two women approached me and asked me to join,” exclaimed 62-year-old Rajesh enthusiastically.
However, they encountered challenges along the way. “People would taunt us as we cleaned the ponds for materials. But we persevered,” recalled Monika. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) manifesto, released last week, vowed to promote women’s participation in the workforce and empower three crore rural women to become Lakhpati Didis from the current one crore.
In the same village, another group of women specializes in stitching leather balls, a tradition passed down through generations. “My mother used to make these balls around 25 years ago,” shared 23-year-old Shalu.
