Kondapalli artisans to get design skills, market knowledge

Kondapalli (NTR District): With an objective of keeping alive the heritage and legacy of Kondapalli craft a Green Craft Store and workshop for women was inaugurated at Kondapalli, the four centuries old village which produces world class toys. Abhihaara a social enterprise initiative, helped the young artisans of Kondapalli, who were badly impacted due to Covid-19, to make over and keep abreast in tough times by setting up a green craft store and workshop.

Chairperson of the AP Handcrafts Corporation B Vijayalakshmi and CEO and co-founder of Abhihaara Sudha Rani Mullapudi inaugurated the Green Craft Store at a small makeshift showroom on Wednesday.

B Vijayalakshmi said that the government headed by the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is pro-women and extends full support to scale up this woman artisan-led initiative.

Sudha Rani said that the store will sell the toys and the workshop will provide necessary skills to the young women. The store in Kondapalli sells toys exclusively made by women artisans and also managed by women is one of the key aspects to ensure that the craft not only survives but thrives well too. Sudha Rani hoped that the initiative will create a sustainable ecosystem in which women can earn steady incomes through equitable work, gain access to consistent demand for their products, and thus lift themselves out of poverty and attain social empowerment.

Vice-chairperson of the AP School Education Regulatory and Monitoring Commission Dr A Vijaya Sarada Reddy said that it is heartening to see women honing their skills. They are emerging to be custodians of this 400-year-old craft. They need support in marketing and scaling up to take Kondapalli craft globally.