One World Action / SEWA are now six months into the TRAID funded project 'Cutting the Chains'.  Find out how the project is already bringing real benefits to women and their families living in extremely poor areas of Delhi.

The Three Embroidery Centres

Two centres are now established and operating effectively in Delhi.  A project team, community organisers and volunteers have been recruited, trained and are now in place.  The third centre will be fully functional in two months time (September 2009).

The Informal Education Centre

This opened in Rajiv Nagar and is up and running. 25 children of women workers are attending regularly with more children joining every day.  We will keep you posted.

Embroidery Centre Membership

150 women workers are now members of the two embroidery centres with new members joining all the time.  Women members are saving part of their income in SEWA's Cooperative and are more able to buy household necessities and / or provide education for their children.

Contracts Secured

The Embroidery Centres have secured contracts with four export houses.Shahi Exports (supplying H&M) in Faridabad, Orient Fashion (supplying GAP) in Noida and Okhla, Orient Clothing (supplying Monsoon and GAP) in Gurgaon, and Liliput (supplying the domestic market) in Okhla.

Training

A trainer is employed and now working on a range of training courses.  Women are also being offered a one month advanced course in Ari Embroidery which uses an awl (a hooked needle) to create a very fine chain stitch. New techniques give women more expertise providing them in turn with more opportunities for work.

Support

Weekly meetings take place at the Embroidery Centres to solve issues - both work related and domestic - facing women homeworkers. Regular meetings are also held between SEWA, women members, the production teams and exporters to discuss production, quality approval of existing orders and importantly, to secure new orders.

Project Impact

Over 300 women are now receiving regular, fair wages on time meaning they have more money to spend on food, health care, housing, clothes and education.

Exploitation by middlemen has decreased by establishing direct contracts between suppliers and women workers.

Training is leading to improved skills and knowledge enabling women to receive higher wages and work in safer conditions.

Women are less isolated and more organised as they meet and socialise in the safe space of the Embroidery Centres.

Key Challenges

Global recession has meant fewer orders than expected from retailers to the export houses which in turn is reducing the demand for embroidery work.

Building trust is vital to encouraging women to work directly with SEWA via the Embroidery Centres, rather than through exploitative 'middle men'.  Despite offering fairer rates and more support, it takes time for trust to be established.  As more women join, other women will see the benefits and take the risk of changing entrenched working patterns.

TRAID will keep you updated with progress of this ground breaking project. To find out more visit One World Action and SEWA Bharat's website.

TRAID will continue to keep you posted with project progress.

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