Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Art of Living 2008

Sambhali Trust:

A few days ago a participant from Art Of Living called me and said that there will be a course for 5 days where there will be intensive yoga lessons and other culture information for Youth, the course is called Yes+. Therefore I went upstairs to the Sambhali girls and I asked them if they wanted to join in, because the course was very reasonably charged. Therefore 8 girls, Anita, Sunita, Deepika, Lajwanti, Monica, Savita, Saroj, Pooja and I went to attend the course from 5 pm till 8.30 pm every day since the 23.07.08. We have learnt many yoga techniques, the girls have enjoyed the company of soo many young people from Jodhpur. We also had a chance to calculate our "Ecological foot print" as one of tasks, therefore the foot print results from all of us are below.

Saroj- 0.13
Monica- 0.08
Savita-0.08
Lajwanti- 0.075
Deepika-1.058
Anita-1.58
Pooja-0.08
Sunita-0.08
Govind -2.4

We all have enjoyed the course very much, good time off the regular daily routine, the girls took an auto rickshaw to the place every day from their home.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Ms. Chloe Scott's overall volunteer report

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Report-1 - Chloe Scott, volunteer
Weekly Reports: Sambhali Trust

Week One
The first days in any new place are daunting, especially when you are the only newcomer and everyone else knows each other. At Sambhali Trust, however, this passed quickly thanks to help from various fronts. Govind and his family were very welcoming, Casey, an intern at the project was amazing, answering every question I had, however stupid, patiently and comprehensively. The girls were perhaps the best at making me feel at home because they completely accepted me. They were not shy or quiet, making interaction easy. They were patient, repeating their names for me countless times, and they were funny and easy to get on with, despite the language barrier.
My first week at the projects was spent settling in. I learnt a few names, assessed their English levels, and looked at their sewing work. I also had conversations with some of the older girls whose English was better, it was then that I discovered that despite their happy demeanors and easy going attitudes, some of them had quite difficult backgrounds. While all the girls are from the Dalit, or Untouchable Caste, some of them had faced more challenges than others. They never complained, however, and if you didn't know some of their stories, you would never have guessed the problems that some of them have had to overcome.

Week Two
After an easy orientation in Week One, my second week at Sambhali threw me in at the deep end. On Sunday Govind and I visited his ancestral village, Setrawa, about 110km from Jodhpur, in order to meet a young woman called Dakhu Devi. Govind and Casey had met her previously, and on this return visit our aim was to remove her from the horrible situation that they had found her in. Dakhu is a twenty one year old woman who has spent the last four years or so tied to a tree. There is a more detailed report about Dakhu available on the Sambhali Trust website. Suffice to say seeing someone tied to a tree is about as bad as it sounds. It was certainly unlike anything that I had seen before, or expected to encounter in India, but the purpose of our visit was to arrange suitable care for Dakhu and my job was to gather information from her family and find organisations that could help. Unfortunately the two mental health charities we were dealing with ultimately failed to deliver any assistance, and we had to improvise, not wanting to let Dakhu down.
With Dakhu in hospital and receiving medical treatment, things at Sambhali continued as normal. I started my English classes with the girls, and I began to get to know them better. Although language was still a barrier, the individual personalities of the girls began to really come through. Sunita, for example, is the joker of the group, always the centre of any laughter, while Deepika is more serious and extremely earnest. What was really obvious was how much the girls respect Tammanah, the sewing teacher and only full time employee at the Sambhali Trust. She is the one who holds the girls together, disciplines them, praises them, and teaches them the skills that will help them develop some independence. Having no skill with a needle and thread myself I am still amazed at the complexity of Tammanah's designs, the speed at which she composes them, and the ease in which she teaches the girls

Week Three
Week Three began with Govind's birthday and the girls were eager to throw him a party. I assumed that this was because they were so grateful for everything that he had done for them that they wanted to give something back. While this was certainly true, I soon discovered that the girls would exploit any excuse for a party, however small. A successful birthday party was followed by not one, but two Anniversary parties for Govind and Mukta. These in turn were followed by a sustained party atmosphere for the rest of the week. In terms of English teaching not much was achieved, but I did manage to get a deeper insight into some of the girls' lives. Inspired by the recent festivities and trying to get the girls to return to their normal routine, I tried to do an exercise where we discussed birthdays. The first couples of girls asked responded in basic English, but the next girl I asked simply shook her head. I assumed that she didn't know how to say the month in which she was born in English, but that was not the case. She didn't know when her birthday was, and neither did many of the other girls. They had never celebrated their birthdays, or even been told when they were, no wonder, I realised that they enjoy parties so much, when they have never had any themselves.
Week Three was also my first week without Casey, as she had finished her internship the week before. Without her there to question about the mundane things I needed to know, I had to work them out for myself. The girls said a nice goodbye, and it was obvious how close they had become to her. After she left the kept asking when she would return.

Week Four
A the beginning of my fourth week at the Sambhali Trust the new Academic year started, and some of the girls were lucky enough to be enrolled in local schools. Getting them to go, however, was another matter. Being at Sambhali with their friends was a much more exciting prospect than school work for many of them. Monica was especially reluctant to return to school, and tried to dodge the issue whenever I brought it up with her. Eventually I discovered that her unwillingness to return to school was due to the fact that although she would be 19 at the end of July, she was only in the XII Standard (usually ages 11 to 12) at her school. She felt that she was above this level, but despite being top of her class the previous year, the school did not agree. At this point Monica's confidence was replaced by her stubborn streak, but she was eventually convinced to return to her school by Govind. While Monica's school is regarded as the best Hindi Middle school in Jodhpur, the other Sambhali girls who are lucky enough to receive a formal education are enrolled in a less prestigious, and cheaper, school. Both Govind and I were keen to ensure that Monica did not waste such an opportunity, especially as it was a chance that many of the other girls at Sambhali would really appreciate.
Due to the exodus of Sambhali in favour of schools, the number of girls who attended everyday decreased. With fewer girls to teach, the classes became easier and closer. It was sad to see that some of the most determined and clever girls at Sambhali were unable to go to school, especially Deepika and Sarika, both desperate to practice their English reading any opportunity. In cases like theirs, however, education sponsorship is not the answer. Deepika, for example, had to stop going to school after her father died, as her mother needed to work in order to support the family. A wider programme of family support is perhaps the only way to ensure girls in Deepika’s situation are able to continue their education.

Week Five
In my penultimate week at Sambhali I had the opportunity to visit Monica’s school and interview her principal about the education of girls in Jodhpur and Rajasthan. The results were interesting, and the contrast with the style of education in England was striking. The girls were very well behaved, very well turned out, and keen to learn. My attempts to question the principal about the possibility of subsidised fees for some of the Sambhali girls unfortunately fell on deaf ears. I was disappointed that we could not come to an arrangement, because I am sure that many of the girls would have really appreciated a place at the school. Unfortunately the school’s fees, virtually nothing to a westerner, are far out of reach for many families in Jodhpur. For the one pupil’s yearly fees at this school Sambhali would be able to fund three children at another local school. A full report on my school visits can be found on the Sambhali website.
The Sambhali girls received many visitors this week, mainly French, although a couple American and Mexican. The French visitors were touring India in groups of 15 or so, and were all aged 16-17. As they were the same age as many of the girls they were interested in meeting them and seeing some of their work. The girls, in their usual party spirit, used this as an opportunity to show off their dancing, and to learn some new moves. It was great to see the girls getting on so well with the visitors, especially considering the double language barrier. None of the girls speak French, and none of the French spoke Hindi, the result was a stilted pidgin English that seemed to work quite well! It certainly didn’t get in the way of the fun that they all had.

Week Six
My final week at Sambhali began with me telling the girls that I would be leaving them on Friday, they did not take this very well, and asked why I was not staying longer. I found myself asking the same question and regretted that I was unable to stay longer. Having only just mastered all the names, and still with some slips, I feel like I will be leaving just as I have really got to know the girls. On a positive note there will be many volunteers in the coming months and so the girls will not be short of other guinea pigs to practice their threading, dress up, and drag into dancing circles. My penultimate day was spent dancing and just sitting and talking with the girls. I had several offers of eyebrow threading, and numerous friendship bracelets were tied to my wrists. When I thanked one girl who gave me a bracelet, she turned to me and said “No, Chloe. We are friends! Friends don't need to say 'Thank you!'”

Chloe Scott
24th July 2008

REPORT-2

SAMBHALI SCHOOL REPORT

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Badal Chand Sugan Kanwar School
On the 21st of July I visited the Badal Chand School in Jodhpur. I had heard much about the area's ‘Premier Hindi Middle School’ and I was keen to see its students and teachers for myself. I had a special interest in the school as one of Sambhali’s most promising girls, 18 year old Monica Jod, had been enrolled for the past year.
On Monica’s first day back at school (My time at Sambhali coincided with the end of the school holidays and return to classes,) Monica came to Sambhali as usual and the girls helped her prepare for her classes, ironing her uniform, plaiting her hair, and rearranging her bag. Monica told me that her school started at midday and finished at 4pm. She listed the whole range of classes that awaited her, including Mathematics, Social Sciences, Sanskrit and English. Monica then invited me to accompany her to school one day. About three weeks into the term accepted her offer and went with her to the Badal Chand school, about 15 minutes walk from the Sambhali trust.
The classrooms were airy and clean, but in obvious need of some repairs. There were no displays decorating the walls as there usually are in UK schools, and there was a large blackboard at the front of every class. Despite the lack of decoration, the school was not short of resources. On my tour I was shown the impressive library, chemistry laboratory, and computer room. The English textbooks used in the class I watched were of good quality, clear and without any blindingly obvious mistakes. If the English teaching material at Sambhali were of such a good quality it would certainly make teaching easier. The Sanskrit books also seemed comprehensive, although I could not read them. The teachers were in control and taught their classes well. I observed no discipline problems, and received only positive reports of the school from its pupils.
While my tour of the school was interesting, more important for the purpose of my visit was my meeting with Mrs Mehta. I had hoped that an agreement could be reached between Badal Chand and the Sambhali Trust regarding scholarships or financial assistance for some of our participants. Mrs. Mehta was unable to offer any kind of aid to the Sambhali girls, ut encouraged me to enroll more of them at the school.
SunCity School

The Sambhali participants who are enrolled in school through the Literacy Programme are usually sent to a less costly school. On Wednesday the 23rd of July I visited the SunCity School in Jodhpur, about 20 minutes walk from Sambhali, in the opposite direction to Badal Chand. Eight Sambhali participants are enrolled there, including the two sons of Meera, one of our older and more respected participants. The headmistress, Mrs. Lata Chauhan, was unable to speak English and an associate of the school was called to speak to me, a Mr. S P Singh. In the building next to the SunCity school an extension was being built in order to house XI and XII Standards. I was told the extension would be completed within 3 months and would include the laboratories needed for XI and XII Standard science. Unfortunately due to the building work there was a power cut and I was unable to sit in on a class and observe how the teaching conducted

A Comparison between the schools
The SunCity School was an instant visual contrast to Badal Chand with no gates or guards. The fees at SunCity, ranging from 125-300 rupees per month, were significantly lower than the 7000 rupees per academic year at Badal Chand.
When comparing the schools, the contrast is obvious. The curriculum is the same at both, but the resources vary greatly. The SunCity School had no library, and asks its pupils to buy their own textbooks. It does however, provide free resources to less advantaged pupils. The lack of computer facilities in both schools was surprising, especially as computers are such an important tool in the modern world. Badal Chand had 11 computers for the 500 enrolled girls, while SunCity had only 4 between 280 pupils.
The issue of single- sex versus co-educational schools arose in the discussions, with both representatives agreeing that single sex education was preferable for VI to XII standards. SunCity, however, did not have the resources to educate its pupils in a single sex environment. Nor does SunCity have the sports or music facilities available to the pupils at Badal Chand. At Badal Chand at least one extracurricular activity is compulsory, such as music lessons, debating classes or extra sports classes. At SunCity all the school could offer were improvised sports games, as they had no suitable playing fields. No music lessons or other extracurricular activities were available.
To conclude, the education received by the Sambhali children at Badal Chand and SunCity is far superior to the basic lessons that can be offered by Sambhali volunteers. Many of the girls’ families are willing to send their daughters to school provided there is no financial burden on them, and so increasing school sponsorship is crucial. This is especially important due to the fact that the schools offer little provision for underprivileged students. Badal Chand offers up to 4 scholarships a year, while SunCity offers none, but will provide some materials for free in cases of need.
As well as the basic school fees, there are extra costs associated with the girls schooling. Badal Chand has just changed its uniform from dresses to salwar kameez suits and other things mentioned under, and SunCity also requires children to have two uniforms, shoes, each pair in a different color, school syllabus, conveyance and other requirements related to school of children annually.
The proportion of lower caste students at the schools is higher than I would have expected. Mrs. Mehta at Badal Chand told me that this was because higher caste families were removing their children from Hindi schools and putting them in English speaking schools, which are viewed as being more fashionable and a good preparation for a career in the west. With fees starting at around 25 000 rupees a year, it would be near to impossible for the Sambhali Trust to hope to send even one girl to an English Middle School.
I would recommend that the Sambhali Trust continues to enroll its participants in the SunCity School, with the view to placing pupils that show a particular aptitude for academic work, such as Monica, in the Badal Chand school. There the numerous extracurricular activities would benefit students who are capable of more challenging activities.

Chloe Scott
24th July 2008

Monday, July 21, 2008

Sans Frontiers Students Group visit Sambhali Trust

Dear friends!!

Four Student Groups from France came through sans Frontiers. They stayed at Durag Niwas Guest House.They all went to experience Setrawa camel safari through the Guest House and also visited the Sambhali Trust, Setrawa village project to empower women and girls. The groups stayed over night at my ancestrol home and did camel rides. In Jodhpur, we took care of the group at the guest house and made them experience Sambhali Trust Jodhpur Project"helping to empower harijan women". Here, the groups were interviewd by the national Television channels for interacting with NGO girls and we interacted a lot of time together sitting ,understanding each others culture. Our girls were very happy to see the guest their ages, they sang , dance together and French guest also taught their games and sang ,dance with all of us.

Thanks to Sans Frontiers and Sambhali Trust Participants.









Above pictures from Sambhali Trust Setrawa Project and Below Pictures from Sambhali Trust Jodhpur Project.

Monica's birthday celebration with the other Sambhali girls, Ayush and Mukta.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=zLBH7mhWQR4
http://youtube.com/watch?v=b7iUbx91Fyc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FwaT0JU3tkI

Please let me know what do you think of the three videos!!

We have managed to put kids in school again this year. All the books, uniforms, etc. are paid for the unsponsored of this year by the Durag Niwas Guest House and Raput Cultural Adventures and 3 more generous supporters.
Thanks for everything till now , I am really sorry to admit that the unaffordable Trust is slowly going to its end.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Report: Meeting with Her Honorable The Maharani of Marwar/Jodhpur

Khamaghani everyone,

we managed to meet with her Excellency The Maharani Saheba of Marwar/Jodhpur. Thank you, Hukum, for sparing your precious time for a small grass root organisation like Sambhali and for your appreciative remarks.

Here is the report of our Guest Volunteer Ms. Hannah K.:
As I walked down the ornate hallways furnished with priceless family heirlooms and through the doors into the Maharani’s living quarters, I had absolutely no idea what to expect and what type of person I would soon be meeting with. It seemed so surreal for me, a college student with only three years of education under my belt, to be permitted access to one of Rajasthan’s most powerful leaders; a woman who enjoyed the support and adoration of hundreds of thousands and claim to a throne passed down from generations of Indian royalty. Her personal assistant hastily hurried me down the final passage in what amounted to a labyrinth of twists and turns to finally invite me to be seated in a room reserved for guests-now, I had to wait…

I had come to Umaid Palace, home to the Maharaja and Maharani discuss the future of the Sambhali Trust, a NGO based out of Jodhpur, India which works to empower Dalit women. The creation of Rajasthan native Mr. Govind Singh Rathore, the Trust had succeeded in supporting dozens of girls and young women with a series of programs and initiatives intended to give women financial independence, provide socialization and support networks, and most importantly, offer a safe-haven in these girls otherwise difficult lives. In meeting with the Maharani, I hoped to bring to her attention the situation of many young disadvantaged women who aspired to greater things and simply needed the tools to achieve these goals. The woman who entered the sitting room several minutes later was far from the figure I had prepared myself for in my mind. A composed and self-assured woman, the Maharani greeted me conservatively attired in a simple sari, pressing her hands together in the traditional Indian manner of greeting and welcoming me in Marwari with “khamaghani.” Following close on her heels was one of the palace’s energetic Jack Russell Terriers who promptly curled itself at my feet. I attempted to compose myself and imagined this to be like any other conversation, much the same as speaking to a family member or professor back in America. Except this professor just so happened to live in a palace and have influence over hundreds of thousands of people. Speaking in an Indian accent tinged with proper British pronunciation, the Maharani sat across from me and in a business-like manner, folding her hands officiously in her lap, and inquired, “So, what have you come to speak to me about today?” My mind went blank briefly as I disregarded all of my causal observations in an attempt to put across a professional impression. My mind snapped back into the present and I began to explain. I explained who I was. I explained why I was in India. I explained the value and importance of the Sambhali Trust and why these girls’ futures were to be so dramatically shaped by the work being done through this organization. I explained why I felt that girl and women’s rights, access to healthcare and education, and equal opportunities were so crucial to not only India, but the international community. And after this tirade in which I had hoped that I had been able to explain so much, I waited for a response.

The Maharani was just as straight-forward and self-possessed as her first impression as indicated to me. She informed me that she was pleased to hear that an organization such as the Sambhali Trust existed and while she could not lend her name to the project as a rule, she would support and aid Mr. Rathore’s efforts in any manner possible. As I sat there, it occurred to me that this was a woman who had the power and influence to affect the lives of so many women throughout Jodhpur-women who struggled with issues such as poverty, poor health, and subordination. I was very curious to hear her take on these issues and what she felt could be done to help girls and women, girls and women like those who had flourished and grown with the aid of the Sambhali Trust. In measured words, the Maharani shared with me her philosophy on the subject. “Women’s rights are tied to matters of family influence, education, cultural identity, and individualism” she responded, “I would like to see all Indian women achieve their goals and aspirations and I feel that proper family guidance influences this greatly.” The queen became animated, discussing the potential of the girls attending the Veerni Project, a non-profit school created to aid low-income girls in the Jodhpur area. Clearly, the Maharani is personally invested in these issues but when I made mention of the word “development” she quickly balked. Development implied a loss of cultural identity. As she explained, pride in one’s culture coupled with infrastructure building creates an atmosphere in which women are both rooted in their cultural identity and at the same time enabled to enjoy the same financial, political, and economic independence and stability. The Maharani concluded our conversation by speaking confidently and optimistically about the future of Jodhpur’s women, saying that every effort that gives women more of a voice was a step in the right direction. Projects like the Sambhali Trust and other NGOs dedicated to women’s empowerment and equality are part of this step in the right direction and it is only through continued efforts that individuals can hope to change a society. While the Maharani has lent her full support to many of these projects, change does not have to be implemented on the large scale and in fact, such grassroots efforts that work with women on the individual level can make the greatest impacts of all.
I hope you liked the report from our guest volunteer who came to help Edit the Sambhali website, profiles of literacy participant and also meet and introduce Sambhali Trust's projects to The Honorable Maharani saheba of Marwar/Jodhpur.

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Setrawa Visit in July 2008

Dear Readers,

This Afternoon we met with His and Her Highness Jodhpur , On Invitation of Ms.Smita Sawant , Program Director of Foundation for Sustainable Development in Jodhpur we went to meeting ofMarwar lok vikas manch, a project to give all the NGO’s a platform to bring out their work and ability. The Meeting was inaugurated by His and Her Excellency, the Maharaja of Jodhpur.I requested Ms.Chloe Scott to present His Highness a Flyer and Sambhali Dreams, Our Project was much
appreciated.



Two days ago we went to Setrawa village to meet Dakhu, we went to introduce two guests to our program in Setrawa and to see our ancestral house under maintenance after 20 years.



My uncle (father’s older brother) and me, we have decided to repair and maintain our ancestral home in Setrawa village, it has taken almost 1 month for the mechanics, carpenters, painters to work on the home, until the 15th of month it will be ready. The house looks very good.



Divisional commissioner Sahebas two Dutch guest Mr.Albert Jan Kruiter (Academic-Consultant-Trainer) and Ms.Anja van der Wal (Program and Project Manager) joined us to visit Sambhali Setrawa Project, our girls welcomed them, and we stayed at our ancestral home for 1 night. Our Guest appreciated our Jodhpur and Setrawa projects and we thank them for their time and their wise suggestions, we look for their calibration in future.

Dakhu is doing great now, she is under medicine and will go through the medication for another 6 months plus. Dakhu’s picture with her grand mother, mother, Aunt and Siblings.


Three extra pics out of the car.

Thanks for reading our News.

Sunday, July 06, 2008

First impression report by Ms. Chloe Scott


Ms.Chloe Scott

Sambhali First Impressions Report

I arrived in Jodhpur at about 10 am after an overnight train journey from Delhi. My first encounter with the girls was as they arrived at Sambhali for the day. As I sat with Govind and Casey, who gave me an introduction to the project and its work, they wandered past us on their way upstairs in small groups, waving and smiling to me. Later, after the girls’ morning prayer and meditation, I was taken upstairs for a proper introduction. Sat in rows, the girls stood up one by one and introduced themselves. As I am terrible with names usually, I felt slightly daunted by the task of learning almost 40 names in one day! But as I soon discovered, things at Sambhali are relatively relaxed, and my first few days was spent sitting, talking and just generally making myself at ease with the girls.
The language barrier was not the problem that I had expected it to be. A small number of the girls speak very proficient English, while most know almost none, and my Hindi was nonexistent beyond ‘Namaste,’ but we managed to get by. Very soon the girls’ individual personalities began to appear and I couldn’t help but feel at home with them. These girls were also desperate to learn, few of them have had the opportunity to go to school, and they were soon clamoring for English lessons. I couldn’t help but think how grateful these girls would be for the opportunities that are available to every child in the UK, but are so often unwanted there.
The girls and women at Sambhali have been born into the least desired situation in India. Not only are they ‘Dalits’, or ‘Harijan,’ meaning ‘Untouchables,’ they are also women. These two factors make life appallingly hard, yet I have never heard them complain about their situation. Sambhali is a refuge for them and although I am not here for very long, I hope that I can make a difference to the lives of the young women here.


Dhaku Devi: 22nd June 2008

We (Mr. Rathore and Miss Scott) visited the village of Setrawa to assess the condition of Miss Dhaku Devi. On arrival we found the young woman tied to a tree approximately 3 meters from the family home. She had no water or food, and the shade provided by the tree was insufficient to protect her from the heat. She was chained to the tree by a very short, linked chain. She was unable to move more than 30 cm away from the tree itself. We were informed that she is rarely unchained and has been ‘living outside’ for almost four years. She sits in her own waste, and is washed and dressed by her mother. We were given a brief family history by her mother and grandmother, and a description of the events that led to her chaining to the tree.
Dhaku is married to a man named Papu Ram, and approximately four years ago, aged seventeen, she gave birth to a baby girl. After about five days of strange behaviour, her actions became violent and erratic. We were also told that she had suffered a series of fits. Her family took her to the Mahatma Ghandi hospital in Jodhpur where she was sedated for about three weeks. The family told us that when their funds ran out Dekhu was discharged in to the family’s care with the advice to take her to a witch doctor. Her parents have no medical records or a formal diagnosis of their daughter, although the described symptoms seem similar to Post-Natal Psychosis. In the care of her parents her erratic behaviour continued, and after three weeks in hospital Dhaku was no longer willing or able to feed her baby. We were told that the baby had died aged about six weeks, but whether this was in hospital or at the family home was unclear.
Rejected by her husband and his family, Dhaku remained in the care of her family, primarily her mother, Puro, grandmother, Rangu, and sister Radhu. Her father, Champaram is said to be distressed at his daughter’s condition and unable to cope. Her husband last visited about three months ago, for the first time since the illness became severe, in order to sever all ties with his wife. Her mother, Puro, told us that Dakhu is chained to the tree because that is the only safe place for her. Inside the family home she is destructive and lashes out at her younger siblings, (three sisters and four brothers,) and parents. We were told that, if left unchained, Dhaku will run off; either into the desert or to the Setrawa bus station, where the family believes her to be a danger to herself and others.
While her outward demeanor was cheerful and welcoming during our visit, her conversation consisted of comments about death and mutilation. At no point in this visit was her ‘violent behaviour’ witnessed, despite there being numerous factors that she could have found distressing, (a relatively large crowd, people taking photographs, etc…). When given food by her mother she became difficult, but not aggressive. When handed bread she proceeded to bury it, dig it up, and eat it, even though it was covered in sand. On being given a small plastic wrapped sweet she proceeded to eat the sweet and the wrapper. Clearly unable to look after herself, and a burden to her family, who are unable to give her the proper treatment that she so obviously requires, it would be a great relief to everyone involved if Dhaku could be hospitalized, diagnosed and treated correctly.
Chloe Scott 22nd June 2008

Dakhu Devi Update 24-28th June 2008

Dakhu was taken to Jodphur’s Goyal Hospital at 4pm on the 24th of June. She was taken to the Emergency Room but was seen very quickly by a psychiatrist. The initial diagnosis made by the psychiatrist was Psychosis and Acute Excitement, and Dakhu was immediately admitted for five days of provisional treatment.

She has a shared room on the third floor of the hospital, with a bed near the window. After almost four years of living outside, it is understandable that she wants to see trees and breathe fresh air. Her treatment, which consists of sedation, shock therapy and general rehabilitation, is going very well and she has made a huge improvement. Today, 28th June, the doctors recommended another five days treatment in order to maintain her improvement. Until now, her hospital stay has been personally funded by Mr Rathore, with drugs donated by the hospital. Today a donation was made by a doctor at the hospital that will allow Dakhu to remain there for the next five days.
Her improvement is both dramatic and touching. While she would previously display little understanding of situations, she is now almost fully aware of what has happened to her and where she is. Her mother and father are staying with her in the hospital to supervise her care. Her husband has also visited her, and so there may be discussion of a reunion.

Dakhu Devi Update 3rd July 2008

Dakhu has completed her initial stay in the Goyal Hospital, Jodhpur, and has returned to her parents house in Setrawa in order to continue her recovery. She is currently taking Anti- Psychotic drugs in order to stabalise her condition. She will receive regular checkups from doctors at the Goyal Hospital.

Good Wishes from those who have heard about Dhaku’s situation:

“Good luck for the future and lets hope she has one now!”
“Dakhu is surely blessed that you were sent her way and you will surely be blessed too with this wonderful opportunity. Pranaams to you and my best wishes for Dakhu's recovery.”
“I also hope Dakhu's own family will take some responsibility and help the husband to cope with the task ahead.”
Source: The India Tree 4th July 2008

Sambhali Trust in July 2008

Sambhali Trust in July 2008

Setrawa village project:
Restarted after a break of 10 days, the project is not running very well because of the economic situation, I have written to the He President of India , Honorale Chief Minister and Respected Divisonal Commisoner about our situation with not having the permission of FCRA and that our request in 11 copies are with the concerned departments, it is difficult for me to run the projects all alone single handedly, i can not afford to keep staff or helpers, teachers are not sufficient to take care of the administration part of the projects.
All went very well with Dakhu Devi, she is back in her village doing well, she is on heavy drugs, it would help her keep calm. Dr.Amit Sharma and all the other Doctors at the Government hospital were very friendly and helpfull, they also helped us with free medicine and 20% discount on total bill.Dakhu on the window side and her mother

Dr.Amit Sharma's report on Dakhu for our records.
Here i am attaching Doctors letter and Dakhu with her mother in car on the way to village.

Dakhu resurned for a check up after 10 days of staying away from the hospital, here are the recent reports.
DAY-1
Day-15th after discharged from Hospital


Jodhpur Project:
We are very busy making art and craft to sell in tourists season to make the project self sustainable,and bring some economic help to the girls.
Ms.Chloe is doing very good to help the girls learn basic english.
Attaching Ms.Chloe's first impression report below.

Literacy Project:
Some of the 13 participants have sponsors to go to school and some still dont, it is a pitty that people showed interest in sending the girls to school last year but this year i didnt hear from many even after sending them emails. There are few people intersted in helping few girls to go to school and few girls are allready having sponsors, i will send all the intersted people a profile of each child who need to get sponsored, I am going through a very busy schedule at the moment and will be available to do this profile report on the kids soon.




Wednesday, July 02, 2008

Ms. Casey Lord's report, Intern from FSD

Internship Report

FSD Participant: Casey Lord
Host Organisation: Sambhali Trust, Jodhpur
Supervisor: Govind Singh Rathore
Dates of internship: 28th April – 28th June 2008





Sambhali Trust
Sambhali Trust was founded by Govind Singh Rathore in response to the treatment of women in a male-dominated society heavily influenced by caste, economic status, religion and superstition. Women are often uneducated and unaware of their rights; do not enjoy equality in society nor in their marriages, and feel oppressed by their strict duties and responsibilties. Sambhali Trust’s ethos is that all members of society, indiscriminate of caste, race or religion, should be valued and treated equally.
Sambhali initiated its Jodhpur project in 2006 with the aim of taking a grass-roots approach to empowering Harijan (“untouchable”) women by providing education and economic opportunities. Sambhali Trust provides a safe environment for learning and development to around forty young women. These women are required to pay a nominal fee upon enrolment with the Trust’s two-year program. They meet at the Trust’s location in Durag Niwas guest house, Raikabagh, daily for perpetual training in new skills: sewing, embroidery, block printing, tie and dye, etc; basic English lessons, yoga practice and social development workshops.
Within the overarching goal of empowering women, Sambhali Trust has the following major objectives:

Objectives
  • To equip participants of the Trust with a host of new skills that can be utilised in the future as income-generating activities,
  • To provide participants with a safe and secure haven from their home duties where they can benefit from free education, emotional support and a forum in which to voice their concerns,
  • To install a sense of worth and equality in the girls and enhance their confidence and self-assurance by allowing them to integrate with other castes and nationalities,
  • To emphasise the importance of nutrition and wellbeing and address any individual needs by conducting regular health camps and dispensing medicines where appropriate,
  • To educate the girls in matters of human rights and encourage them to play active roles in their communities, and
  • To build on the girls’ independence and economic potential by sharing with them the profits of the organisation and setting up active savings accounts.
Needs Assessment
Sambhali Trust’s immediate problem is one of economic sustainability – funds are currently sourced from local donors and Govind Singh Rathore’s own source of income (Durag Niwas guest house), but in order to be sustainable the Trust must develop a strategy to generate its own revenue. The sewing initiative of Sambhali Trust works to empower the girls by equipping them with new skills that can be utilised in their futures as an income generating activity (IGA), but it should be observed that the training period at the Trust has the potential to be used as an IGA for the Trust’s own benefit: items made by the girls during their training period can be sold to tourists and locals at a price that will cover the costs of the materials and supply the Trust with a profit with which to develop the Trust’s infrastructure.


Fair Trade
Fair trade is defined by FINE (the four international fair trade networks: Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International, International Fair Trade Association, Network of European World Shops and the European Fair Trade Association) as:
‘a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalised producers and workers – especially in the South’.
Fair trade seeks to create a stronger feeling of dialogue between producers and consumers by ensuring that consumers are aware of the production process and the origins of what they are buying. Today there exist many fair trade organisations designed to monitor and regulate the process from the sowing of seeds to product marketing. In short, their aims are to:
  • Provide fair wages to producers (in the local context),
  • Support safe, healthy, and participatory workplaces,
  • Assist the supply of financial and technical support to build capacity,
  • Ensure environmental sustainability and preservation,
  • Respect cultural identity and traditions,
  • Offer public accountability and transparency,
  • Build direct and long-term relationships, and
  • Educate consumers.

International Fair Trade Association (IFAT)
IFAT is the global network and advocate of over 300 fair trade organisations across 70 countries. Approximately 65% of these organisations are based in the South (Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America) and the remaining 35% in North America, the Pacific Rim and Europe.
IFAT’s member organisations represent the fair trade chain from production to sale; they consist of producer co-operatives and associations, export marketing companies, importers, retailers, national and regional fair trade networks and financial institutions. The members are by requisite dedicated to fair trade principles and must adhere to the ten fair trade standards as outlined by IFAT, listed below. IFAT holds biennial international conferences where its members can interact and make decisions for the following years.
The 10 Standards of Fair Trade
  • Creating opportunities for economically disadvantaged producers
    Fair trade is a strategy for poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its purpose is to create opportunities for producers who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system.
  • Transparency and accountability
    Fair trade involves transparent management and commercial relations to deal fairly and respectfully with trading partners.
  • Capacity building
    Fair trade is a means to develop producers’ independence. Fair trade relationships provide continuity, during which producers and their marketing organisations can improve their management skills and their access to new markets.
  • Promoting Fair Trade
    Fair Trade Organisations raise awareness of Fair trade and the possibility of greater justice in world trade. They provide their customers with information about the organisation, the products, and in what conditions they are made. They use honest advertising and marketing techniques and aim for the highest standards in product quality and packing.
  • Payment of a fair price
    A fair price in the regional or local context is one that has been agreed through dialogue and participation. It covers not only the costs of production but enables production which is socially just and environmentally sound. It provides fair pay to the producers and takes into account the principle of equal pay for equal work by women and men. Fair traders ensure prompt payment to their partners and, whenever possible, help producers with access to pre-harvest or pre-production financing.
  • Gender Equity
    Fair trade means that women’s work is properly valued and rewarded. Women are always paid for their contribution to the production process and are empowered in their organisations.
  • Working conditions
    Fair trade means a safe and healthy working environment for producers. The participation of children (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play and conforms to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as the law and norms in the local context.
  • Child Labour
    Fair Trade Organisations respect the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as local laws and social norms in order to ensure that the participation of children in production processes of fairly traded articles (if any) does not adversely affect their well-being, security, educational requirements and need for play. Organisations working directly with informally organised producers disclose the involvement of children in production.
  • The environment
    Fair trade actively encourages better environmental practices and the application of responsible methods of production.
  • Trade Relations
    Fair Trade Organisations trade with concern for the social, economic and environmental well-being of marginalized small producers and do not maximise profit at their expense. They maintain long-term relationships based on solidarity, trust and mutual respect that contribute to the promotion and growth of fair trade. Whenever possible producers are assisted with access to pre-harvest or pre-production advance payment.
Asia Fair Trade Forum (AFTF)
It was decided at an IFAT conference in Manilla in 2000 that a network of region-specific branches of IFAT should be established, hence Asia Fair Trade Forum was officially created in 2001 to monitor 88 Fair Trade Organisations in twelve of the poorest Asian countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, People’s Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam. These organisations consist of producers, marketing intermediaries and sales outlets.
AFTF shares the ten standards of fair trade defined by IFAT.

Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International
It is important for ethically-minded consumers that they can clearly differentiate fair trade products from non-fair trade products on the market, and vital for the growth and success of the industry to have an easily identifiable logo for these products. Fairtrade Labeling Organisations International (FLO) was set up to regulate the use of such logos and symbols used on packaging. For a producer to claim to be ‘fair trade’, that they have met the 10 standards as laid out by IFAT, they must be certified by FLO. There are currently 21 labels officially recognized by FLO.
It is possible for a producer to have only a fraction of their total products certified, and also for a composite product to be labeled fair trade when only 50% or more of its ingredients (by dry weight) are sourced from fair trade certified producers.

Fairtrade Foundation
The Fairtrade Foundation is a non-profit organisation established in 1992 as the UK member of FLO. Fairtrade Foundation licences the use of its distinct black, green and blue FAIRTRADE Mark, recognized and trusted by thousands of consumers, on all fair trade products sold within the UK.
The Foundation’s mission is to work with businesses, community groups and individuals to improve the trading position of producer organisations in the South and to deliver sustainable livelihoods for farmers, workers and their communities by:
  • being a passionate and ambitious development organisation committed to tackling poverty and injustice through trade,
  • using certification and product labeling, through the FAIRTRADE Mark, as a tool for their development goals,
  • bringing together producers and consumers in a citizens’ movement for change, and
  • being recognised as the UK’s leading authority on Fairtrade.
For a product to bear the FAIRTRADE Mark it must meet the standards set by the FLO. FLO defines product-specific standards for growers/producers of bananas, cocoa, coffee, fruit, honey, etc, but none have yet been defined for handicraft producers. This is because Fairtrade certification and its system of minimum pricing were initially designed for commodity products. It is technically difficult to adapt this model of standardised minimum pricing to crafts and other products made by small-scale artisans, which are each unique, made of varied materials and have highly varied production processes and costs. However, FLO is currently working with IFAT to explore whether a certification program could be developed for these products in the future.
Summary
It should be noted that there is a difference between ‘Fair Trade’ and ‘Fairtrade’, and as this document uses both terms, it is important to distinguish between them. Fair Trade (two words) refers to the concept of ethical trading as a whole and can be used to describe producers and their products whether or not they have been certified by FLO. Uncertified producers and organisations such as IFAT may be referred to as Alternative Trade Organisations (ATOs). Fairtrade (one word, often seen in capitals) is used when describing all producers, products and trading practices approved by FLO.
So how can small organisations working with handicrafts and composite products benefit from the fair trade movement? Since its initiation, fair trade has grown into a hugely successful trading and marketing concept working towards eradicating unjust trade and fighting the circle of poverty. Fair trade and the notion of ethical trading have received much attention in the West and today make up a high proportion of the retail sector. The Fairtrade Certifcation Mark was introduced to allow producers to certify a proportion of their products as being fairly traded, without being certified themselves. This allows them access to the benfits of fair trade without drastically changing their established traditions, techniques and partnerships with non-fair trade suppliers. SambhaliTrust could easily develop one or two products with the intention of applying for a Fair Trade Certification Mark.
It is important to network with organisations such as the ones listed here, even if a producer is still in the process of refining its processes and conditions to meet fair trade standards, as guidance from such organisations will ensure that development and growth is done in the best, most ethical, way possible. Fair Trade Organisations can also assist with a producer’s infrastructure; for example, on top of the Fairtrade Minimum Price, the Fairtrade Labelling system guarantees a premium for producer organisations or workers bodies to enable them to invest in social, economical or environmental improvements.
Organisation Visits
Observing the growth and development of other, similar NGOs is an excellent way to learn about organisational structure and management and should be regarded as an essential tool in assisting Sambhali’s strategic decision making. A young NGO, particularly one with insecure funding, is likely to encounter many systematic problems. Long-standing, successful and self-sufficient organisations are living proof that such problems can be overcome and can offer a wealth of information and advice for dealing with them.
Nila Moti and Seva Mandir (Sadhna) are two firmly established organisations with significant outreaches and strong operational structures. I conducted field visits to each organisation in order to see how they are managed and to enquire about the problems they have faced.

Nila Moti
Khimsar, 4th May 2008
Nila Moti, meaning blue pearl in Hindi, was started in 1992 by Swiss couple Monica and Michel Matter as a foundation with a sales outlet in Penthalaz, Switzerland selling Indian handicrafts. In 2001 the profits from the foundation were used to construct a crafts center in Khimsar, Rajasthan where village women could learn and practice sewing and embroidery, earning themselves a fair wage and maintaining the self-sustainability of the foundation. The foundation initially employed 15 women; the number has now reached 88 (2007).

Nila Moti products are sold in international boutiques and high-end hotels in Rajasthan.
Nila Moti is famed for its rich styling, fine fabrics and high quality production. By using such fine fabrics and employing strict quality control measures Nila Moti is able to address a high-expenditure market and implement large profit margins. Thus, it could be said that product quality is instrumental to the foundation’s sustainability.
Members
Nila Moti employs women who live in the local vicinity of Khimsar. There are no social or caste-related requirements but women in ‘humble’ conditions with children are given preference. The women are required to be at the crafts center between the hours of 9am – 5pm Monday to Saturday. Their daily schedule includes thirty minutes daily yoga practice and one hour lunch break.
Organisation
Monica Matter employs a designer in Switzerland to create new items for the Nila Moti label. A sample is sent to the crafts center, along with a bulk order of the required fabrics, whereupon the local ‘master trainer’ interprets the sample and drafts a pattern for the item. The fabric is cut from the pattern and distributed to the women to be sewn. The pattern drafting and cutting is done by the master trainers in the main office at the crafts center. This office is the heart of the center, holding all the stock, materials and orders. All sewing and embroidery is done in the surrounding workshops.
At every stage of the production process, each woman who contributes to a piece must note her name and time spent on it on a small label attached to the piece. For example, it was seen that the big elephants (a signature product of Nila Moti) would take 7hours 45 minutes to produce, whereas a skirt would take 18-20 hours. Each woman has a personal record book kept at the crafts center where a daily log of assigned and completed work, including the time taken and a description of the work, is recorded.

Training
Women are trained at the crafts center for six months by Monica Matter’s Swiss tailor. They are trained in stitching, embroidery, patchwork and beading, and given guidance on the different treatments of silk and cotton. The women are paid 1,500 Rs per month throughout this training period.
Following the training period the women are required to be present at the crafts center during on each working day. The women are not permitted to work at home.
Finance
Each woman is paid by piece, directly into her bank account. A monthly wage will be in the range of 1500-4000 Rs, depending on the woman’s ability and speed. Of the money that is invested in Khimsar, half of it is directed towards the crafts center; the other half to the construction of a school being built next to the crafts center.

Marketing and Sales
Although the crafts center is open for the public to visit it is not possible to purchase anything from the center. Consumers must go to one of the sales outlets: Nila Moti sell their products nationally in the shops of Khimsar fort and Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur and internationally at the Nila Moti boutiques in Penthalaz and Berne, Switzerland. At the time of the visit (June 2008), Khimsar fort was closed to the public and Umaid Palace had a very limited range of products.
It was seen at the crafts center that a small elephant costs 650 Rs to produce, including all materials, labour and overheads. The small elephants are available for purchase at Umaid Palace shop for 1,650 Rs.

Evaluation


The crafts center is a large, airy building with modern facilities housing seven workshops, several offices, a yoga studio, kitchen and bathroom. The rooms are spacious with large windows, simply decorated and are kept neat and tidy with no distractions from work. The women working at the crafts center were found to be relaxed and focused and the office from which the orders are managed was adequately staffed and organised.
Insisting that all work is done in the crafts center rather than at the women’s homes or elsewhere in the village serves three main purposes: it allows all managerial staff to monitor the quality of work at each stage of the production process, grants women convenient access to their master trainer for help and advice, and ensures that materials are not exposed to unclean conditions. However, it does mean that Nila Moti’s overheads are significantly increased: the crafts center must be large enough to house their entire production force and have adequate light in all hours of the working day. Further, having set working hours restricts the women’s freedom to decide how their employment at Nila Moti fits into their busy lives.
Nila Moti’s system of labeling each piece with the maker’s name ensures that any quality control problems that arise can be traced back to the production source. A recurrent problem that we have encountered at Sambhali is lack of accountancy from the girls for work that is poorly made. Keeping track of the time spent on each piece also helps with pricing the Nila Moti range and ensuring that each woman receives a wage appropriate for her work.
The Khimsar crafts center was impressively organised and managed, despite the absence of its director, Monica Matter. Monica Matter visits the center quarterly and was not available at the time of visiting. Hence, I prepared an informal list of questions to send to her. (At the time of writing these questions had not been answered).
Interview with Monica Matter:

1. Feasibility
Did you have to research the Swiss market before opening the Nila Moti shop?
What was included in your research? i.e. a consumer survey, a test range of products to determine sales.

2. Designing
Why do you use a Swiss designer instead of an Indian one?
Who is the designer in Switzerland - a professional designer or tailor, a friend? How did you find them?
Are they trained in Asian designs and production methods?
Are they paid by salary, by piece/range, or do they volunteer?
How do the master trainers in Khimsar contribute to the designing process?

3. Khimsar
How do you recruit the women and the master trainers?
What exactly goes into the training process? - How long does it take, who does it involve, are stitching/embroidery methods taught only or do you train the women how to make specific articles/garments in this training period?
How do you ensure quality control in the workshops?
What happens to work that falls below your quality standard?

4. Finances
Do you accept donations and grants?
Do you have to pay rent at Khimsar Fort and Umaid Palace? Does each shop have a lease and if so, for how long?
What is the annual turnover of Nila Moti, both financially and quantitatively (in terms of products sold)?

5. Finally,
Is Nila Moti sustainable?
Do you plan to hand the managerial side over to somebody else in Switzerland/India in the future?
What advise would you give to a sewing cooperative in its early days?

Sadhna
Udaipur, June 2008
Sadhna started in 1988 as the ‘patchwork program’ of Seva Mandir, a large NGO in Udaipur, with the aim of providing 15 women with a means to generate income to strengthen their socio-economic status and empower them within their community. In December 2004, Sadhna was registered under the Mutual Benefit Trust Act as an entity independent from Seva Mandir. Sadhna was initially reliant on Seva Mandir for funding, but by significantly increasing the quality of its production, has reached a One Crore Rupees turnover and now stands as a self-sufficient enterprise boasting 618 members. Sadhna’a signature style is easily recognizable by their use of high quality natural fibres (cotton and silk) and their trademark tanka (running stitch) embroidery and appliqué.
Sadhna has a large stitching center in Udaipur and two city-based sales outlets. The 618 members are based either in the Udaipur stitching center of in one of 9 local villages: Delwara, Madar, Sheeshwi, Pula, Ratakhet, Manoharpura, Semal, Kharol Colony and Khanjipeer.
Members
Sadhna accepts 70-100 new members per year and insists on only employing married women aged 18-35 years, stating that this requirement ensures a long-term commitment from the employee. The women are paid per piece and are free to work as much or as little as they can manage. The women are typically responsible for many home duties, so this freedom grants them full control of the role of their Sadhna membership in their lives. Aside from economic security, the women enjoy various benefits from their cooperation with Sadhna: annual eye tests, subsidised health insurance and provident fund and savings benefits.

Organisation
The village women are organised into groups, each having 15 members and one group leader. There are 40 group leaders in total who have the responsibility of monitoring the progress of their group and ensuring that work is completed to a high standard. They also oversee the payments of each member in their group. The group leaders meet every quarter and at the annual meeting with all Sadhna members to discuss issues, find solutions and share experiences.
Sadhna’s stitching center is divided into separate sections for store, cutting and quality control, stitching and finishing, ironing and packaging and dispatch. This segregation has resulted in increased efficiency and more organised production. Twenty salaried staff are employed at the stitching center. When Sadhna receives an order, the master trainer interprets the design and drafts a pattern for the item. Garments are made in various sizes, all of which have set measurements. The fabric is then cut by hand using a cutting machine that can slice through up to 200 sheets of cotton. This saves time and ensures consistency. Applique cuts are then made, again by hand, using a chisel. The pieces are then delegated to the machinists to be stitched.

After stitching, the work is rigorously checked by a quality control employee. The work is then sent to the villages to be embroidered. Again it is checked, this time by the team leader of the group, and sent back to the Udaipur stitching center where it is ‘finished’ (loose threads are tied and cut, etc.). The finished piece is ironed and packaged for delivery.
Materials are stored in the stock room; a register is kept of all stock.

Training
The women are trained for three months by a hired professional. The village women are trained only in tanka and appliqué; those working from the stitching center are trained are tailors. Despite having a seemingly long training period in which to learn only two skills, it is found that it takes most women up to two years to reach the high standard of quality demanded by Sadhna.
Finances
Each member of Sadhna is required to pay an initial fee of 251 Rs and an annual renewal fee of 101 Rs. The women are paid per piece, directly into the bank account that Sadhna set up for them. The team leaders are also paid per piece for the work they produce and enjoy an extra benefit of 10% of the total income generated by their group. A typical monthly wage can vary from 600 Rs to 5,000 Rs, depending on a woman’s ability and commitment. At the end of each financial year the profits are calculated and split between Sadhna (for development) and each of the 618 members.
When Sadhna begun 15 years ago it produced only homeware (cushion covers, bedspreads, etc.) and was heavily reliant on Seva Mandir for funding. Sadhna has recently established a strong connection with franchises in the Indian retail market such as FabIndia, People Tree and Shopper’s Stop and, with its large body of members and high quality machinery, is now able to produce bulk orders of up to 1,000 kurtas. Making up 80% of Sadhna’s production, these bulk orders have become vital to Sadhna’s financial sustainability; but by working with labels such as FabIndia they have had to sacrifice putting their own label on the garments, thus limiting their transparency with consumers.
Sadhna have now been self-sustainable (breaking even or in profit) for the last six years. Please refer to their annual review for a detailed financial analysis.

Marketing and Sales
Sadhna’s own label garments are certified by CRAFTMARK (for tanka and appliqué) and Fair Trade, USA. Such certifications are instrumental in authenticating handicraft products to a Westernised market by guaranteeing both quality and social morals. These certificates are renewed every year.
In order to access a domestic retail market Sadhna employs several marketing agencies to consult on market trends, ways to incorporate traditional techniques into modern fashion and how to form links with international buyers. Sadhna has benefited from long-term relationships with two notable market consultants who have been fundamental to Sadhna’s economic growth.
They have curated solo exhibitions in New Delhi and participated in group exhibitions nationally and abroad. From these exhibitions Sadhna hopes to promote its brand identity, network with buyers and receive orders for samples from retailers in both domestic and international markets. Sadhna are yet to establish a trading partnership with a foreign market, but samples are nonetheless important for encouraging the design team to come up with new ideas related to style, quality and trend.

Evaluation
Sadhna are undoubtedly a hugely successful organisation, brand and business enterprise, and can serve as an inspirational role model for Sambhali. A comparison of Sadhna with Sambhali invokes the main difference of sources of funding – Seva Mandir provided generous and reliable economic support for a substantial period through which Sadhna were developing their managerial structure and establishing their identity in the sales market. In addition to this economic funding, Sadhna’s association with Seva Mandir, a respected and trusted NGO in Udaipur, helped Sadhna to be accepted into the community.
Another main difference between Sadhna and Sambhali is that Sadhna, partly due to its capacity, satisfies ‘anonymous’ bulk orders, i.e. produces bulk orders under a label that is not their own. The reason for this is that it enables Sadhna to operate self-sufficiently. These labels, such as FabIndia and Shopper’s Stop, are not marketing Sadhna’s brand identity and are acting as a ‘middle man’ between producer and consumer, a position condemned by Fair Trade Organisations. By using such ‘middle men’ Sadhna are in effect producing work anonymously to consumers. Moreover, it should be noted that Sadhna does not have any long term contracts with these brands. This puts Sadhna in a somewhat dangerous position, since if FabIndia decides to use an alternative production house Sadhna will be left with no orders, reliant on their own brand identity and susceptible to unsustainability.
The organisational structure of Sadhna facilitates its capacity: the stitching center is organised effectively and logically, resulting in a clear and efficient production process. The atmosphere in the stitching center was relaxed and focused, one could detect that the women were well-trained, duly informed of their roles and dedicated to their cooperation with Sadhna. Perhaps the most notable feature of Sadhna’s structure is it’s commitment to forming women into groups, rather than treating them as an individual. It is seen in many areas of development that considering the psychological aspect of ‘duty’, whether it be a social responsibility or a savings account, is taken more seriously when a woman is linked to a group of other women who share her circumstances, status and ideas. Sadhna has tapped into this self-help group model and has organized its members into groups, making their commitment to Sadhna one of social responsibility and economic security.

Conclusion
The concept of fair trade is a recent one in the retail market and one that is encompassing more and more of the commodity sector. The demand for ethically produced and traded commodities is growing rapidly in the West and Sambhali could reap the benefits from accessing such consumers. Hence, it is important for Sambhali Trust to attain a position at the forefront of the fair trade movement, especially in these early years of intense promotion in Asia and the progress towards establishing a fair trade label for handicrafts. Sambhali should seek to structure their income generating activities around fair trade principles regardless of whether they can be certified by FLO. Associating with fair trade organisations will provide Sambhali with a network of support, advice, and better access to financial assistance and international markets. Being a member of the Asia Fair Trade Forum will also enable Sambhali to keep up with recent news relating to fair trade.
There is no doubt that Sambhali will require more funds to reach a position of self-sustainability. It might be useful at this early stage to devise a business plan that can be put into place now in order to ensure self-sustainability in the future. This business plan should describe the best way for the Trust to organise itself in a way that will minimise operating costs and maximise revenue generated from materials. All work produced throughout the girls’ training period should be either sold or recycled. Maintenance and depreciation of the Trust’s equipment must also be incorporated: sewing machines are vital for producing larger handicrafts but are expensive to replace.
Plans should be made for how to train the girls and in what specialisation to train them, and how to extend their training upon completion of their time at the Trust. It is important for community development that the girls’ skills are put to good use after graduating. Sambhali could indeed benefit from this. By establishing Sambhali India as a company that sources its products from graduates of Sambhali Trust, or even as a cooperative, the girls will have guaranteed employment and Sambhali India will enjoy a close relationship with its employees based on trust and understanding.
From the research visits I conducted and by speaking to local experts, I have noticed some common features of successful handicraft initiatives. One of the most prevalent is the insistence of such initiatives on only employing married women. This is to ensure a long-term commitment from their employees, and is based on the assumption that married women will discuss their employment with their husband before starting work. Fair trade organisations usually require all women to be above the age of 15. It has been found that older women and those with prior experience of managing a house and a family are better suited to managerial roles within a grass-roots organisation.
Currently, the girls are paid a small stipend to cover their transport costs and a percentage of the sales price from the work sold at the guest house. Sambhali Trust should make sure that the money earnt by the girls is paid directly into their bank account, rather than by cash, and that the girls understand the importance of saving. Some features of self-help groups can be incorporated here: perhaps the girls could share group account that adds a social dimension to the responsibility of regular saving. It should be noted that there is a psychological difference between having ones savings deducted from ones wages by an employer and choosing to transfer some proportion of ones own wages into a savings account. By having control over their savings the girls will feel empowered and independent. For employees of Sambhali India, the girls could design their saving patterns to be a mixture of some regular monthly installment (50-100 Rs per month) and a percentage of their earnings. The inflated savings could then be invested between students of Sambhali Trust and a sewing cooperative for its graduates.

Further Reading
Sambhali Trust: www.sambhali-trust.org
International Fair Trade Organisation: www.ifat.org
Asia Fair Trade Forum: www.asiafairtradeforum.com
Fair Trade Federation: www.fairtradefederation.org
Fairtrade Foundation: www.fairtrade.org.uk
Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International: www.fairtrade.net
Nila Moti Foundation: www.nilamoti.org
Seva Mandir: www.sevamandir.org