Artisan Profile: SADHNA - www.sadhna.org

Sadhna began in 1998 as a handicraft income generating project for a small group of 15 women from a rural village in Rajasthan, India. The women were trained in stitching and today, the group has grown into a large family of 600 artisans. They are a fair trade organization committed to empowering rural and tribal women, both economically and socially, and enhancing their self-esteem. The organization works with over 40 producer groups of 30-35 members, helping in the production and marketing of the handicraft products. The product range consists of garments such as fashion tops, scarves, skirts and homes furnishing such as bags and cushion covers. All the products are created out of hand woven, hand printed fabrics, mainly in cotton and silk. The organization has two shops in Udaipur, where they work and is planning to have a shop in Delhi. The women participate in more than 10 exhibitions a year for marketing their products within India.

The organization is providing employment to more and more women who begin with a 3-month training program and throughout the year participate in skill and design development workshops. They earn a fair share of the proceeds from their products and play a significant role in all aspects of decision making and profit sharing. The women are all members of the organization and are part of the Managing Committee. The participation of the artisans has given them the confidence to participate in community development activities and to address their concerns through group efforts. The women are playing a larger role in household matters, as well as in the decision making of village level issues. They believe that economic empowerment proves to be a path to larger social and political empowerment.