Bamboo Livelihood Activities

Our Bamboo Livelihood Activities pilot project (funded by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, India) benefits an intial group of 100 of the most disadvantaged women from the Dhol caste in 2 villages in the Jajpur district of Orissa. Bamboo craft has been traditionally the sole livelihood of this caste, but this dependence has left the womenfolk increasingly maringalised. A single piece of bamboo, purchased for 80 rupees and converted into baskets for shifting earth, will generate only 40 rupees of profit after a whole week's work.

By organising these women into Self Help Groups, training them to make new bamboo products, supplying better tooling to enhance productivity, we have been able to ensure each woman saves time, raises efficiency and produces more baskets.  This has resulted in an increase of profit with each woman earning 150 rupees a week. The increased output in turn enables the menfolk to play a stronger role in transporting and marketing the baskets.

Back