Name of the Organisation : ALAMKARA TRUST-

Centre for rural arts and crafts Development.

Address for Communication: No.12,new colony porur,

Chennai-600 116

Phone : 044 24765659

98842 13420

E.mail : [email protected]

Contact person : Ms.Rose mercy Felcita

Legal Status : Registered Trust

Reg.No.878/2002

Bank Details : A/C No.23901

Andhra Bank- valasaravakkam
Chennai.
 A Project proposal for the Economic
Development of Rural Artisan Community

Crafts people form the second largest employment sector in India,

second only to agriculture. There are around 23 million crafts people in
our country today. Even many agricultural and pastoral communities
depend on their traditional craft skills as a secondary source of income
in times of drought, lean harvests, floods or famine. In today’s world
life for craft people remain precarious. Building a future for Indian
crafts demands a coherence of heritage and economics. Official
support schemes often elude those for whom they are intended, their
future now clouded in the uncertainties of a new policy environment.
Many traditional raw materials are disappearing under environmental
pressure or diverted to competition from large-scale industry. As
economic policies take an U-turn and state benevolence withdraws,
survival will depend on and ability to compete on the customer’s terms.
This has been a capacity completely neglected over fifty years of
official direction to Indian crafts, despite Gandhiji’s reminder so long
ago.

Situational analysis

The handicraft sector is an industry that requires minimum of

expenditure, infrastructure or training to set up. It uses existing skills
and locally available materials. Inputs required can easily be provided
and these are more in terms of product adaptation than expensive
investment in energy, machinery or technology. The craft sector
contains many paradoxes. Artisanal contribution to the economy and
the export market increases every year and more and more crafts
people are being created- especially women – as a solution to rural and
slum unemployment. At the same time mass produced goods are
steadily replacing utility items of daily use made by crafts people,
destroying the livelihood of many, without the concomitant capacity to
absorb them into industry.

The current much used terms ‘exclusive’ and ‘ethnic’ are singularly
limiting and inappropriate when marketing skills and products are with
a potential producer base of 23 million. The urban consumer, in spite of
a growing awareness of craft, does not have access to many of the
products that he would like to buy. One major problem faced by crafts
people is that they are bound in their own struggle for survival to
money-lenders, traders or middlemen for credit and raw materials and
they are obliged to sell their products to them at a minimal price.
Despite these adverse conditions, the traditional professional
craftsperson has a unique earning power that can be adapted to many
usages and markets.

Four specific groups are cited below to convey the exact details of
such crafts communities:

The potters of Nilambur:

Nilambur is a small town situated in the Mallapuram district of Kerala

State in South India. This area is thickly vegetated with teak trees.
Decades back this significant town has attracted the Tribes of Andhra
Pradesh whose occupation is pottery to get settled here. The soil and
environment has well complemented their traditional livelihood.

Further in those days pots and related utensils were the ones used for
cooking by everyone and their occupation thrived with no threat. But
now the reality is just the opposite. Pottery has lost its relevance in
this mechanized and fast world. There is no more demand for their
products. The men are unable to bring in substantial income as they
cannot participate in any other productive work because of the lack of
any other skill. This has led almost to nil income. What next? The
women of the community have begun to sell sex to feed their children,
take care of their families and most of all to survive. The children are
no more learning their traditional skills from their ancestors. Certain
educational needs are taken care of by a voluntary organization but
their intervention is not able to cover their economic needs. There is an
increase in children becoming child laborers. Their economy cannot be
reverted without a trade based intervention. The same skill can be
moulded to produce things and articles of today’s relevance.
Sometimes they do produce such things. But in these years of
transition they have lost their economic strength. Hence they need
designing and marketing support to revive their livelihood and dignity.

The weavers of Balaramapuram:

The Maharaja of Trivandrum wanted the best handloom weavers to
provide for his wardrobe. So the whole weaving communities at the
border of Tamil Nadu were shifted to Balaramapuram a town which is
now at the border of Kerala State from Tamil Nadu. These weavers just
survive in this heavily competitive market of power loom products and
their aggressive marketing strategies. This status of just surviving can
very well be upgraded bringing back their dignity and purchasing power
by giving inputs in marketing and designing for today’s consumer. Once
the traditional and family skill is now reduced to survival and producing
child labourers and bonded labourers.

The issue of child labour and bondedness is being countered by a

longstanding welfare organization. This organization has also evolved
co-operatives and enhanced productions. But their strength is not in
marketing or inventing models and designs to stand up to competitions
in the open market. Here again an intervention in these lines can bring
in lasting results to develop their status of life. This can also be a
prevention strategy for ending child labour here.

Narikuravas (Gypsies) of Devarayaneri:

Narikuravas are the nomadic tribe of Southern India. Like most of such
tribal communities these were also very much dependent on Forest and
forest produce. Forest was their home and they lived in harmony and
comfort however they were. But due to modernization, Insensitive steps
by authorities and shrinkage of forest land, this community has been
thrown into the urban jungle for life. They have chosen their own off
beat locations to get settled and make a living by producing\selling
simple things that fetch them a minimal income. One such group has
got settled at Devarayanery a village on the Highway of Trichy to
Tanjore in Tamil Nadu. Fortunately these gypsies have an inborn skill in
making bead strings, ear rings and other costume jewelry by using any
kind of beads. They are so quick and dexterous in their work that they
can watch a movie and still continue their work. They can produce
countless number of such items but how do they sell? Just like their
life they have to roam around temples, market places to sell these
products, which means children and old parents stay back at home
with no one’s care. And in such a way their income is pittance. Even
when they have the capacity to produce they do not have a means to
exhibit or market their goods in mainstream markets. Actually this skill
if enhanced and directed in terms of consistent production and regular
income through proper marketing, it can help them reach a higher
status of citizenship than a displaced nomadic tribe. This intervention
can be adopted here since they have been allotted permanent houses
and a voluntary organization has developed infrastructure to run a
hostel for their children. Hence our intervention can supplement to
ensure a better standard of living and can also be monitored due to the
already existing infrastructure.

The Batik producers of Madurai (Rehabilitated street girls):

This group is slightly different from the previous three. The common
thread is that they are also a deprived group by the mainstream
society. The girls who live on the streets are deprived doubly being
girls. Insecurity damages their whole psyche of positive development.
They are very much prone to exploitation on the streets. Hence they
have become a matter of concern for a welfare organization for
rehabilitation. This process involves various welfare interventions
including counseling, shelter, confidence building and skill
development. In the attempt of skill building the basic art of Batik
painting is imparted to them. This gives them a great deal of
satisfaction that they have created something and that it can also
fetch an income.
As they fall into the deprived section of our society this opportunity
enables them to build their confidence and prevents them from
becoming victims of exploitation. The skill introduced needs much
more fine tuning to be promoted and be made an investment for their
future. The input to be extended is to impart skills in evolving new
designs and increasing production to meet consumer needs.

The underlying conviction of this whole intervention is to work in

partnership with the communities identified keeping in mind their
inherent strengths, capabilities. Our role will be that of an
enabler rather than a provider. The above mentioned four groups
are sample groups for intervention in a process of partnership
with them and with the voluntary organizations working with
them. To begin with they will be trained and developed into better
earning partners in society. This will be a consistent group which
can serve as model interventions for further action. Further such
crafts communities will be included in the programme as their
development is our prime priority.
Objectives:

 To promote traditional arts and crafts in order to sustain the

livelihoods of such communities.
 To strengthen their bargaining power by building their marketing
skills.
 To raise awareness among general public on the values of such
crafts.
 To curb the inflow of migration by such communities into the city
thereby preventing the increase of slum and street communities.

Proposed interventions:

I. Facilitating marketing and production skills

o Organize workshops to hone their skills according to
market needs and orient them towards collective
production.
o Resource persons will be professionals in the field of
designing and arts for e.g.from the Cholamandal artists
village and professionals in practice in the field of
marketing, finance management.

II. Exploring markets and setting up an outlet to promote, exhibit,

sell, their products and to enhance their economy base.
o Co-ordinate and liaison with interested individuals and
groups locally and outside for supplying the required
products.
o Outlet will also serve as a point for promoting customer
relationship.
o Organize neighborhood exhibitions to promote sales and
awareness among general public.

III. Ensuring the life of the craft in the Community.

o Organize periodic trainings for young adults from the
community on the craft to sustain its existence.
o Informally create a space in the children’s educational
environment to be in touch with their community craft.

Personnel requirements:

1. Director cum Co-ordinator ------- To plan, manage, administer

and be responsible for the whole intervention and to co-ordinate,
 communicate work regarding the programmes at the community
level i.e. workshops etc.

2. Liaison officer ------ To make scheduled visits to different crafts

communities, maintain a relationship and liaise with the
administrative office on issues regarding the partner
communities and voluntary organisations.

3. Accountant ----- To maintain all accounts and be in charge of book

keeping systems and control financial as per need.

4. Customer care person ---- To be posted at the outlet to interact

and take care of customers’ needs.

5. Office assistant ----- To give secretarial support to all office

work.

Financial Summary:

Sl.n Programme head Budget head with details Amount in

o INR

I Training\worksho
p
1. Training\workshop 8 workshops x 20,000 1,60,000.00
on designing and (expenses include travel, stay,
marketing (two resource person fees and
days for four groups training material)
– twice a year)

II Promotional
Outlet
2. Space rentals Advance for the shop – 50,000 1,10,000.00
(one time)
Rent Rs. 5000 X 12 months
3. Establishment This includes interiors, first 1,50,000.00
costs( one time) purchases

III Personnel
4. Director/co- 10,000 x 12 1,20,000.00
ordinator
5. liaison officer 8,000 x 12 96,000.00
6. Customer care 5,000 x 12 60,000.00
person
7. Accountant (part 3,000 x 12 36,000.00
time)
8. Office assistant 2,000 x12 24,000.00

IV Administrative
costs
9. Printing & 750 x 12 9,000.00
stationary
10. Telephone & Fax 500 x 12 6,000.00
11. Hosting a web site This is to create awareness on 10,000.00
and maintenance of the intervention, develop market
the same connections and advertise to
receive orders and clients.
12 Postage & Freight 3000 x 12 18,000.00
charges
13. Travel and 2000 x 12
conveyance 24,000.00
TOTAL 8,23,000.0
0

(Rupees eight lakhs and twenty three thousand only)

Justification

The whole intervention is to work towards the establishment of

Fair Trade Practices. Fair Trade is a process which promotes
sustainable development by improving market access for
disadvantaged producers. It seeks to overcome poverty and
provide decent livelihoods. By supporting their livelihoods and
helping them to develop their skills we aim to make a real
difference in their standard of living and self esteem. Trade is a
powerful engine of economic growth and at the same time it can
also fuel massive inequalities. Hence we aim to help crafts
people to strengthen their business and production skills,
learning to access local, regional and world markets for their
products, helping them to make their livelihoods sustainable into
the future.

The above mentioned partner groups are already interacted with

and have built a rapport through the existing voluntary
organizations. Hence there is a level of understanding and
confidence in initiating this intervention. The above presented
proposal has been worked out, keeping in mind the most needed
expenditure. It almost covers the start up costs or can even be
taken as a seed grant. The training and the intervention are
focused towards enhancement of quality production and hence it
can be seen as an investment. Also the promotional outlet will
include products made by artisans all over the country. The
ground work has been done and the address of master craft
persons and voluntary agencies working with them has been
collated for this purpose.

The income generated out of the sale will be siphoned in ratios

60:10:30 - to the community, corpus fund and running costs
respectively, in the subsequent years.