The situation in the rural areas for women in India, especially those living close to the poverty line, has never been easy. Today, with the ongoing Covid crises it’s a big challenge to gain enough to make sure that there is food on the table. The income is – in many cases – not sufficient to tackle the most essential needs. Many have no job, and also informal job opportunities have gone. The lack of tourists in locations such as Rajasthan often has a double impact. Men lost their jobs as drivers. In sightseeing places, in hotels, in restaurants there is no need for working power any more – including all the small service oriented jobs behind. Of course, there are some income areas that are impacted indirectly only, such as the work of tailor women, but it gets also difficult to sell directly…

Women engage in Selfhelp groups and families

How do they manufacture? Here an example from Rajasthan:

The woman in the villages buy old dresses & sarees with embroidered work on and upcycle it while producing table runners and wall pictures.

In the country side area (close to Mandawa) there are no other industries. Life is hard here. The opportunity of formal jobs that in the past often was related to tourists, has gone – due to the Covid crises. When it will retake? Who knows… but daily life goes on, food is needed, hygiene products such as soap, hygiene pads are essential and how to pay fees for the house and school …? The situation is very critical.

Empower women to help their families!

In many households it’s women who take care about their families. Tailoring could ensure them in the past a life, although it was always a very basic one. Now? Well – the direct market and customers have gone…

The village artists people do this job within the own families at home or together as a group, not in factory.
They decide how and when they work, how they design and which price they take.

You can help – visit the KEnDIA shop – create a win for all

With the KenDia shop that supports women in Rajasthan and South India who are organized in self- help groups and families. Maybe you find some nice cushion, table runner, pouches? KEnDIA is a not profit oriented online shop. More than 90 % of the profit goes directly back to the women to support their income and to tackle some basic issues (at the moment it’s feeding children in the slums, hygiene pads and soaps for families, school fees)

Have a look at the video and see how the women work in Rajasthan!

Here you get some impressions from dyeing.

With every product you buy at http://www.KEnDIA.de, you help directly. Maybe also our Kendia Events are interesting for you – where you can much more information on daily life and talk to people in India and Kenya directly.

Let’s hope that the crises will come to an end soon and that the travel industry can pick up again. that women can invest again and in better ways in the education of the children, in better nutrition, in daily life. Longterm wise the direct sales through online shops such as Kendia could help to make customer relationships more stable and create more fairness. A way that could help the poor to survive and maybe also to get a chance to empower themselves.