Export-Import Bank of India had organized a training program for women in Dewali Bhanigram village in Rudraprayad district of Uttarkhand, which was devastated by the flash floods in June 2013, with an intention to empower them and resettle the affected families in the region. Mandakini Women Weavers Association, which was promoted by Panchachuli Women Weavers Association, brings together over 300 women from seven of the worst affected villages into groups to teach them spinning, knitting, embroidery and weaving under four common facility centers. A total of 30 rural women with potential, otherwise having no other access to alternative sources of income participated and are getting trained in an intensive program by master trainers from the region for a period of six months to enhance their skills. The training involves spinning, weaving, knitting and embroidery to develop hand woven and knitted products like shawls, stoles and scarves made from rare wools such as Tibetan and Mongolian cashmere, lambswool, eri silk and local fibres and materials.
The objective of the training programme is to develop required skills among weavers with an effort to create necessary awareness on advanced weaving techniques which will provide support leading to promotion of domestic as well as international business of high quality hand-crafted products. The program will culminate by the yearend. Deepali Agrawal, GM of the bank, told the participants that the bank has been working towards capability creation of artisans across India, helping them to reach the global markets. Sunita Bhatt, president, Mandakini Women Weavers Association, said due to the training these beneficiaries were able to move to commercial production and these beneficiaries will now work as permanent employees under Mandakini, which is under registration process.
