Progress Report

I.       BACKGROUND

SEWA – An Introduction

1.SEWA is a member based trade union of women workers in the informal economy. These women are not salaried workers but are paid a daily wage or are self-employed earners.

2.SEWA’s two main goals are to organize women for full employment at the household level and for self-reliance. Over almost three decades of organizing, we have learnt that to achieve these goals a holistic and integrated approach is essential.

3.SEWA’s organizing strategy involves both struggle and development. Workers struggle against the many injustice they face and at the same time are actively engaged in constructive action which includes building their own membership based organization, creating and strengthening employment, developing financial services, capacity building training, health care, child care, housing, forestry & nursery raising programmes, watershed development and insurance among others. .

4.SEWA organizes women in 11 districts of the State of Gujarat. 

  Background of Earthquake Conditions

Gujarat experienced the worst ever earthquake that affected the districts of Kutch, Patan and Surendranagar where SEWA has a membership of about 60000 women. Estimated 30000 people died and property worth Rs 21474 crores was damaged as a result of this. 7633 villages were affected in six districts with 324740 houses collapsed. The present programme is a joint response by the International Labour Organization and SEWA to this crisis.

 SEWA’s Response To Earthquake (EQ)

Immediately after the Earthquake, SEWA teams visited the villages and provided immediate relief material. The immediate need of the members was livelihood and shelter. SEWA undertook the livelihood security programme and the rehabilitation programme to meet the needs of the members.

II.  SEWA-VIDE PARTNERSHIP

 As a response to earthquake, SEWA undertook the livelihood security programme and the rehabilitation programme to meet the needs of the members with the partnership of Volunteers for India Development and Empowerment (VIDE) in Kutch and Patan districts of Gujarat. The programme started with the proposed activities in the field of craftwork in a manner that addresses the impact of the earthquake and drought on a community. The approach to rehabilitation was community driven. The progress achieved in is summarized below.

Planned Activities  It was planned to give crafts work to 500 women artisans from the two districts of Kutch and Patan.

III. ARTISAN SUPPORT PORGRAMME

Background

The destruction of the EQ was so severe that women artisans were not able to think anything and they were worried that what will happen tomorrow and how will they survive. But again what they can think of is embroidery work only. They demanded work. We want work to rebuild our lives and hence SEWA has proposed Livelihood Security Programme to VIDE to support 500 women artisans in the 6 villages of Kutch and Patan districts. This has helped in upscaling the activities and to sustain activity.

The Project has supported to 474 artisans from Kutch and Patan districts. This has generated an average income of Rs. 800 per month per artisan.

Details of the women and village is given in the Annexure – I 

IV. RAW MATERIAL KIT DISTRIBUTION

Raw material kits will be distributed to the artisans in these villages. In addition to raw material, several other tools were provided to the artisans in order to facilitate their work. The tools to be kept in the crafts kits were decided after several discussions between SEWA organizers and members. Tools for other trade can be easily identified but for crafts activity, the villagers needed several small tools, which were identified after discussions with the members. The toolkits comprised of the following:

V. PROCESS ADOPTED

The Process adopted for achieving the above-mentioned results is described below

 Production Process

A set procedure is followed by all the district associations for production of embroidered products. The same procedure is followed in both the districts. Some changes as necessary are incorporated considering the geographical location in both the districts. The steps involved in the production process are listed below:

·         On the basis of the market study, designs for the products are given by SEWA’s in-house designers.

·         As per the designs, sourcing of fabric and other material required is done by raw material procurement committee comprising of leaders and team leader.

·         Decentralized system is adopted for purchase of raw material. A raw material bank is kept at the district association.

·         A production plan is prepared by the artisans in the villages. On the basis of the production plan a raw material requirement plan is prepared.

·         Quotations are received for purchase of raw material and on that basis the purchase committee comprising of one expert from textile industry, one senior person from SEWA and 1 representative from SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre (STFC) decides the supplier with the best quotation offered after considering various aspects like price and quality of the product.

·         Raw material kits are prepared by the spearhead team members. Raw material for 15 days work is kept in the raw material kits.

·         Agewans (Team leaders) from all the villages come to the subcentre on the predecided date and collect the kits to be distributed to the artisans in their villages.

·         The production in-charge explains the designs and the colour combinations to be used in each and every product.

·         The Agewans also bring the embroidered products of the artisans from their villages and are submitted to SEWA’s team

·         Quality checking of the embroidered products is done by the production team and the spearhead team. Grades are assigned to the embroidered products.

·         Necessary records are kept for the same.

·         The dates for payment are decided in such a way that immediately after the receipt of finished goods the artisans receive payment for their work.

·         The semi finished goods received from the artisans are sent to Ahmedabad.

·         Quality checking of the goods received from the districts is done at Ahmedabad by the Quality Control Personnel

·         Necessary finishing and value addition is done to the semi finished goods.

·         Sizes are standardized and quality checking is done once again after the finished products are received

·         The Marketing team takes care about marketing of the products through different means like national & international exhibitions, orders and the retail outlets.  

Financial Process

Decentralized systems are adopted which is designed in such a way that the production process doesn’t suffer.

·         Payment for the raw material purchased is done by the district associations

·         The district associations demand for advance for payment of wages to the artisans.

·         The district association keeps various quantity records of the distribution and receipt of goods as well as payment made.

·         Necessary registers are also maintained at the district level.

·         The payment is made by the team in the presence of the Agewan and either the Sarpanch or a school teacher or any other responsible person from the village.

·         The finished goods are sent to Ahmedabad

·         Necessary financial and quantitative records are maintained at Ahmedabad level also after the completed finished products are received.

·         The sale proceeds from the sale of finished goods are deposited in the Livelihood Security Fund Account

·         This fund shall then be treated as a revolving fund and work shall be given to the artisans.

·         Weekly meeting of the entire financial team is held every week for monitoring of the activities.

·         A bar coding system is adopted at the Ahmedabad level and fund wise production records are maintained.

Marketing Efforts

As a result of the expansion in the number of artisans and in order to provide livelihood security to 14000 artisans as a response to the crisis, SEWA recognized the need of strong marketing efforts to provide sustained livelihood to these artisans. SEWA through its SEWA Gram Mahila Haat (SGMH) and SEWA Trade Facilitation Center (STFC), has upscaled its marketing activities. All the products produced by the artisans are then marketed by SEWA through their retail outlet, national & international exhibitions and orders.

Housing Reconstruction Programme

The severe earthquake that struck Gujarat on 26 January 2001 flattened much of the state. Out of the 21 affected districts, those most affected are Kutch-Bhuj, Patan, Surendranagar, Jamnagar and Rajkot. Within these districts more than 37.8 million people have been affected. Moreover, the Project area is located in the zone 5 of seismic hazard map of India, which indicates that the area is highly prone to future possible earthquakes.

The urgent need for the members was to provide financial, technical and organizational support to those near or below the poverty line that have been affected by the earthquake - either through loss of their homes, other assets and livelihoods, so that they can rebuild their lives. Especially for these poor women, their homes are not only their place of shelter, but also their workplace, storehouse, security and usually their biggest asset. Following the mass destruction of houses in the earthquake hit areas, there was an urgent need for housing reconstruction, to help those affected to rebuild their destroyed homes.

As a part of the immediate response to earthquake, SEWA has also undertaken the Housing Reconstruction work on a large scale in Kutch, Patan and Surendranagar. Artisan women covered under this Project are also benefited through this programme.

Impact

The crafts work provided to the artisans after the earthquake has helped them to earn a livelihood and reduce the trauma after the earthquake. The immediate need of the members after the earthquake was to work. The Project has generated income for 474 women artisans from the two districts of Kutch and Patan.

This support has helped the artisans in various ways like

·         Trauma Relief

·         Helped them earn livelihood at their home

·         Women could reconstruct their homes through SEWA’s Housing Reconstruction Programme.

·         They can look after their children

·         They have security of water, food and health

·         They can take care of their house reconstruction work

·         They feel proud of their work because they were not dependent upon any relief but it is their own skill and own trade. It gives them self esteem and dignity.

·         They also were partners in the marketing efforts and took part in the exhibitions; they have taken responsibility of the entire craft operations. These helped building their capacity and strength and also upscaling their activity. It gives them recognition and identity at the district level and block level.

VI. FINANCIAL STATEMENT

Total amount received by SEWA from VIDE is the 50% of the total budget i.e.

Rs. 12,00,000. The financial statement of the same is given below.

VII. CONCLUSION

The support provided by SEWA through this program to the members had a great impact on their lives. The artisan supports program provided to poor grassroots craft artisans had helped them to secure their livelihood. The revolving fund created will use as a long-term support and for sustaining livelihood. 

The kind of system SEWA has adopted will carry long-term impact Livelihood Security System even when project gets an end. Also the progress was slow in the beginning. The reason behind that was the time taken for developing these systems to cope-up with the expansion. Through the implementation of these systems the capacity of the women at grassroots level has increased.