Sponsorships can change lives
If a child is given a good education leading to a vocational qualification, their whole family benefits from this and, at best, they can continue to develop with good prospects without further help. In Mr. Annamalai's case, there is also a strong awareness and a palpable sense of gratitude for the turnaround in his life: “I like teaching at elementary school because the children are open, direct and sometimes cheeky. I have a lot of contact with their parents. And if one of them doesn't have anything to eat, I share my food with them.”
This principle runs as a common thread through all the projects that have been developed by the Shantimalai Trust over the last 35 years. The Trust founded the Shanthimalai Handicraft Society back in 1987 with the aim of enabling disadvantaged women and widows with little schooling to train in handicrafts so that they could earn an income. Indian society is still very patriarchal in traditional, rural areas. Women are usually married off at a young age in arranged marriages and become financially and socially dependent on their husbands. In the event of widowhood or divorce, women often slip into abject poverty. Remarriage is still largely taboo in rural India. Tragic cases are young women who lose their husbands through accidents or alcoholism and are then left to fend for themselves. Hundreds of women have since seized this opportunity and learned to weave, embroider, braid, print fabric or paint cards in village centers. Because handicrafts were traditionally not very widespread in the area around Tiruvannamalai, the techniques were mainly adopted from the north of India, particularly Gujarat. This region is known for its artistic, hand-woven fabrics and handicraft products such as statues and jewelry. Employees still travel to northern India once a year to gather inspiration, make contacts and purchase goods.
In 2001, the women's cooperative ventured into self-employment (read under “Success stories”). In their store on the outskirts of the town of Tiruvannamalai, the diverse products are offered for sale. Thanks to a good network of international contacts and the great commitment of volunteers, the attractive fair trade articles can be sold in India, Europe and the USA (market stall in Lucerne). A great deal of stamina, flexibility and creative ideas are needed to help people help themselves in the long term. For example, the coronavirus crisis caused a slump in trade that was difficult to cope with. In recent years, more women have started to work part-time or from home. These are suitable forms of work for mothers of small children or working students, but the community of employees, mutual support and advice in difficult life situations is still very important. For example, cows or individual goats are sometimes given to widows or divorced women to provide them with a livelihood. Occasionally, they are also given financial support to build a house.
The cooperative currently employs around 110 people, only 10 of whom are men. Seven people are permanently employed, while the others work as homeworkers. The Premalaya Handicraft Trust (new name since 2015) is much more than an employer. This is so important in rural India, where women carry the families but are all too often subjected to violence. “We feel safe and at home here,” says Kalai, who has been involved since the beginning and is currently head of quality control. “I always encourage the women to learn and work. That way, they become more independent and gain self-confidence.”
In 1989, Manoharan joined the Shanthimalai Trust, where he was initially responsible for adult education and evening schools. The evening schools offered elementary education in 18 villages for children and young people who had to work at home during the day. From 1991 to 1997, he worked in a managerial position at the trust's outpatient clinic and was responsible for logistics, among other things. He then moved to the Shanthimalai Handicraft Society. He has been the head of the cooperative since 1997 and is responsible for human resources, purchasing and product development, among other things. He is also involved in the widows' home and works as a social worker. Thanks to his broad network in the villages and the surrounding area of Tiruvannamalai, Manoharan is often called upon when older women become homeless and have no one to look after them. He then takes them to the widows' home and looks after their medical care. For the younger widows and single women, he ensures that they have a livelihood and can earn an income in the cooperative.