One World Action and SEWA - 'Cutting the Chains' - transforming the lives and livelihoods of women homeworkers in Delhi
TRAID is funding a two year project 'Cutting the Chains' with £52,846 to improve the livelihoods of over 2,000 women embroidery workers in Delhi.
In 2005, in an urban slum in Delhi, the Indian women's trade union SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association) established a groundbreaking Embroidery Centre to support its members in securing regular and fairly paid work.
SEWA represent poor self employed women working in the informal sector. It began in 1971 when a group of women united to protest at unfair treatment by local merchants. Today, SEWA has over one million members and is one of the largest membership organisations in the world. SEWA have enabled tens of thousands of women and their families to escape grinding poverty by providing support, representation and organisation.
Today, TRAID funding will build on this initiative to establish three Embroidery Centres and one Education Centre for women workers and their children. As well as improving livelihoods through increased wages and education, the project has the potential to transform the textile supply chain and the exploitative relationships within it.
Women embroidery home workers in Delhi are sewing and beading clothing destined for retail in UK and European high streets. The Embroidery Centres help the women to liaise directly with suppliers, doubling the wages they receive for their work, reducing poverty and providing them with a sustainable livelihood and income. The centres also provide a vital space for women to come together to train, organise, start saving schemes and receive literacy lessons.
"My husband is a labourer and I have four small children. I was one of the first members of the centre. I have been an embroiderer since I was 12. Since joining the centre, I get regular and better-paid work. I get double the amount I used to. I have also started saving in a general fund for my children. I can now pay for two of my children to attend the government school. I have learnt a lot, my confidence has grown and I now come every day. I now go to places and meet other women in my community - I used to be very isolated and unable to leave the house." (Fareeda, SEWA member)
TRAID will update the website regularly with project news and developments. To find out more visit One World Action www.oneworldaction.org and SEWA Bharat www.sewabharat.org/
