| Country / Region: | India / Mumbai |
|---|---|
| Project Summary: | Diane's Paperworks provides life changing help for young men, teaching them the skills of screen-printing on hand made paper, job training, housing, a basic literacy course, and future job placement. |
Partner Overview
There are families living in a crowded Indian city that are struggling to make ends meet. If fathers are able to find any work, they might work in factories for 10 hours a day to try to feed and support their families, but are sometimes only able to make $.75 a day. This is not nearly enough to feed their families, let alone send their children to school. Often, children are taken out of school in order to supplement the family income. Because of this, women rarely have attended school beyond 5th grade. Their household duties keep them from further education later in life, making them unable to attain a job. The families become burdened with hunger, insufficient health care, and the inability to attend school, which then leads to stress and heartache.
In 1998 Diane’s Paperworks was established to support the already gifted, but struggling communities of India. They value traditional crafts and desire to raise the standard of meager village incomes. Through developing new innovative designs, raising the standard of quality, linking local artisans with the global marketplace, and advocating for sustainable development, they are able to bring a whole new paradigm to multinational business: a company with a conscience.
With training and development of viable products they are able to bring the market to the village, where the producer and the community can benefit directly. 100% of profits are turned back into the artists and their communities. Medical care and clean water wells are only a few examples of such programs. Their commitment to the environment is also expressed by using paper made only from recycled cotton.
Men and women artisans from several villages now have the finances for education and healthier families. Diane’s Paperworks also encourages their workers to start their own businesses, giving them independence. Beyond that, since most women have never been beyond a 5th grade education, Diane’s Paperworks works along side them to teach them math and reading skills. Empowering women to have respect for themselves and their rights is an important goal. Women are also empowered through dignified work and participation in decisions. Since the conception of Diane’s Paperworks, there has been incredible transformation of not only in the individual lives of the artisans, but throughout whole communities.
Bright Hope is privileged to partner with Diane's Paperworks through selling their beautiful craft. Your purchases help struggling families and communities in India have the opportunity for job equality, training, support and impacting community projects. Burdens are being lifted and families have come to know hope.
