Handmade items, usually made painstakingly by older family members, are not just useful and simple to make, they are also a symbol of love and warmth of the makers, as well as a testament to their skill and craftsmanship.
The Initiative, founded by Arushi Aggarwal, is the result of this affection for thoughtful handmade products as well as Aggarwal’s zeal to empower ordinary women who seek economic independence but may be unable to take up regular jobs due to lack of education and/or family obligations.
Bitten by the design bug from an early age, Aggarwal studied product and services design and had just been offered a job by a Danish company when she was contacted by a Satara-based vocational training institute for tribal and rural women. She conducted a workshop there to help improve the design and appeal of the products made by the women, and in doing so, realized the importance of creating something unique to hold their own against machine-made products available in markets. Consequently, she founded ‘The Initiative’.
Initially, Aggarwal had to spend a great deal of time in helping to fine-tune the skills of the tribal women and make the workflow process glitch-free as family obligations meant that the women could not commit to regular time schedules. Slowly but steadily, she has been able to overcome the challenge and has built a team across different locations in Mumbai.
The women make beautiful blankets, patchwork and crochet pieces as well as godhadis from old sarees, made with love and care, “every one of them tell[ing] a story – where it came from, who made it and how.”
And thanks to The Initiative, Aggarwal’s team of talented women, such as Kalpana who has raised 3 children almost single-handedly or Leelabai, an elderly lady from a small village in Maharashtra, are able to earn a steady income, enjoy self-sufficiency and help their families, one stitch at a time.
For more information, visit The Initiative’s site, or follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
Featured image source: The Initiative
Written by Anisha Kashwani
