Hyderabad: Weaving livelihood security for artisans

Hyderabad: For the past four months due to Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown, the time has become a standstill to the weavers and their looms, especially the women weavers in Hyderabad and the outskirts of the city. Creative Bee, a Hyderabad-based design studio has extended its support to the 2000 women weavers and their families in this current pandemic situation. For the past 25 years, since 1995 they are associated with more than 10,000 weavers.

Bina Rao, designer, consultant, and founder of Creative Bee, a Hyderabad-based design studio, Banjara Hills said, " For the past 2 years we have been associated with 2000 underprivileged women weavers from Hyderabad and its outskirts that include Pochampally, Ghattuppal, Warangal, Koyyalagudem, Narayanapuram and Venkateswara Palli. We have given the women training and also helped them to do retail their product directly to earn better but due to the current pandemic, these families are struggling to survive, as their livelihood runs only through the handloom. To support them in this pandemic the Creative Bee has come up with three initiatives."

The first way is that I have collaborated with the various NGOs across the country and requested them to help the weavers financially. So far we have deposited Rs 1000 per head in 750 weavers bank account and the second way is with the help of donate kart ( that is an online donation platform) we are donating rations kits worth Rs 500 for one month and around 300 donors across the country has helped weaver till now with cash and ration kits. For the past four months, we are helping the weavers. The third way is we are telling the weavers Whatever stock is leftover the weaver can click and share pictures on Creative dignity platform(an online platform) where various designers and NGO are connected and through this platform, the weaver can sell their products.

Apart from this, as markets are very down and there are no sales happening, so through various webinar session I have been requesting to the various likeminded people to buy the leftover stock of the weavers.

As for the farmers, the state government and the central government is helping with the various scheme but for weavers, there are no such benefits. It would be better if on the handloom day that is on August 7 if the Telangana government announce some relief fund for the weavers that would give great relief to them, added Bina Rao.

"For the past four months we do not have income, Creative Bee is helping us with grocery kits and Rs 1000 was deposited in our Bank account. As earlier, we would earn Rs 8000 to Rs 10,000 per month and but due to lockdown we are unable to earn. But this organization is helping us in some or other way," said Premalata , a weaver from Koyyalagudem.