Saheli Women
I was recently invited to work with a promising NGO based in Jodhpur, India – Saheli Women. Since their director, Madhu, and I met in the fall, I’ve been tinkering with product concepts to produce with these ladies. Mirror and embroidery work are their strengths and I am very drawn to both. Why not create an eye pillow or eye mask with embroidered silk? I’m obsessed with the patterns in tile work, at once so fine and imperfect, and have many photos saved from travels around the world. These are a starting point for a simplified embroidery motif. And as far as mirror work goes, wall hangings are dancing in my head ! More soon……
In their own words:
Saheli Women is a nonprofit clothing manufacturer and ethical fashion social enterprise in rural Rajasthan, India. Located in the village of Bhikamkor, Saheli Women employs 20 rural women, providing them with fair wages, health insurance coverage and a safe work environment free from gender, religious and caste discrimination.
Saheli is a subsidiary of IPHD, Institute For Philanthropy and Humanitarian Development (IPHD), a women’s empowerment and rural community development nonprofit based in Jodhpur, India. It manages the Saheli Women production facility for clothing, accessories and homeware out of its community center in Bhikamkor. Additionally, IPHD sponsors the educations of all daughters of Saheli Women members, runs the only female health clinic in the village and delivers workshops on a range of topics including human rights, feminism, menstrual hygiene and health and financial literacy.