Kutch is working with women who sew, embroider and tie-dye fabric for urban market. There quality is good and they sell most of the material which they make. This is very commendable for an NGO which is only a few years old and now, working with more and more women in many villages of Kutch. As they have been making the same design and selling it to the same market since last few years, the customers have become loyal patrons, creating a sort of ‘fixed’ market for the artisans involved which is great from a demand & supply stand point and also an economic perspective.

In the present scenario, the ripple effect of these groups reaches to almost 1200 women members in 92 SHGs covering almost 16 villages of Kutch district namely Kuran, Jhura, Keshav Nagar, Lodai, Dhaneti, Madhapar, Atal Nagar, Jiyapar, Narayan Nagar, Nava Nagar, Nakhatrana, Ashapar, Dayapar, Guneri, Kotda, Mangwada.

On 21 st June 2012, Sewa International Design & Development Centre (SIDDC) was inaugurated by our current (then CM of Gujarat) Honorable PM, Shri Narendra Bhai, at Jiyapar Tal, Nakhatrana, Kutch District, Gujarat. This centre is providing regular employment to 25 tailors and indirect employment to around 600 women involved in Embroidery/Bandhani work in 16 villages. During the last five years, Sewa International has trained more than 2000 women artisans under the Technical Training Program (TTP) in Kutch. The artisans since been associated with the organization and doing quality bandhani (Tie & Die) and embroidery work. The organization also trained 150 women master tailors under the EDP.

On a regular basis, the trustees, mentors, donors and many dignitaries visit our project and interact with the beneficiaries. They provide valuable suggestions to the project team which gets incorporated into the future strategy and planning.

Ministry of Textile, Government of India, provided 20 sewing machines, 2 interlock sewing machines and a cutting machine to run Common Facilitation Centre (CFC) in Kutch district. This CFC provided an opportunity to the women artisans so that they can have a hands-on experience.

In order to further strengthen the Kutch empowerment initiative, Sewa International launched its project KASHI TO KUTCH. The project is a fusion of Kutch Embroidery/Bandhani arts with Banarasi weaving/brocade work.

Kashi to Kutch program is a Sewa International initiative, where the organization takes the cloth woven by weavers of the Banaras and send this cloth to Kutch, where Sewa Kutch’s artisan women perform intricate Kutchi embroidery to make a beautiful and one of its kind products in the world. The program is also enriching the artisans and their crafts.

In less than a year, the organization has already imparted trainings to 50 weavers of Varanasi district. These training programs have greatly benefited our weavers to improve upon their quality and imparted better understanding of market needs. The products developed by the trained weavers were sold in the exhibition titled Jasan-a- Ustaad organized by Ministry of Minority Affairs in 2015. The exhibition was attended by dignitaries like Mrs. Najma Heptullah and Mr. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who appreciated immensely the concept of the Kashi to Kutch program and its products.

The other avenues where our products are regularly exhibited and marketed are Dastkari Haat Samiti, Delhi Haat, and SurajKund Mela in Delhi/NCR as well as various state exhibitions across India. Sewa International stalls always attract visitors who not only appreciate our ground but also demand more range in the products!

SKSPL, as a Private Company is a conglomeration of women artisans in the handicraft sector. The vision of SKSPL is to ensure that craftswomen in the informal sector have socio-economic security and full employment, by building up of grass root business enterprise of the artisans. SKSPL achieves this by sustained, profitable, and efficient coordination of the design, production and marketing of their products and services in mainstream national and global markets The main objective of SKSPL is to create value for its artisan members by manufacturing, forward and backward linkages and marketing/selling its products through various forums & platforms and ensuring livelihood security for the artisans and their family members.