Embroidery for life …. … 24-year-old Christina is a mother and a wife. Her husband is a contract mill worker. On the days he has work, he earns Rs 50…

Embroidery for life …

… 24-year-old Christina is a mother and a wife. Her husband is a contract mill worker. On the days he has work, he earns Rs 50… on the days he doesn’t, there is no income…

Can Christina contribute towards the family’s income?

Can Christina, and other women like her, supplement their existing household incomes without traversing distances?

Chennai

Thiruvallur

Alinjivakkamat Red Hills

… at Internet-enabled Alinjivakkam

… amidst the daily rhythm

… coming together

to bring the eight-year-old Women’s Self Help Group to life …

Entrepreneur – designer Haripriya Tunga, determined to make ‘Embroidery for Life’ a reality

begins training by teaching…

how to use frames …

followed by threading the needle, knotting …

running

stem

open chain

… and basic stitches like -

practicing enthusiastically at home …

exploring…

motifs and compositions

as skills progress…

… there is comparative learning and review …

NameTraining levels

Latha Christina Tamilarasi

Lessons

Practice

Explorations

Outlining quality parameters …

Among the candidates

selected are …

Tamilarasi

Christina

Latha

Taking orders for embroidery applications …

… on salwaar kameez

… and on saris

Accepting critiques on motif misrepresentations …

Comprehending corrections …

`

Problem-solving at the kiosk

taking a photograph

using a web camera …

Kiosk Operator (KO) demonstrating how

quality checks can be done remotely …

… and e-mailing to the entrepreneur

… enabling further communication using audio – video conferencing

finally delivering orders …

Does ‘Embroidery for Life’ make business sense?

Haripriya shares …

Affirmatives

Concerns

“The fact that I was able to access a village with connectivity was a

surprise!”“I trust the KO enough to eventually co-ordinate for

me.”“Compared to the city, wages are lower

here …. Training is hand in hand with production and this enables quality assurance, further lowering future

costs.”“I am expanding to other ICT-

enabled villages.”

“Lata is taking on aspects of training on my behalf …”

Affirmatives

“A mechanism for delivery and receipt of orders needs to be put

in place”“The women compete for work

orders regardless of their skill and ability. ”

“While the SHG Center has been good for training and initial sifting of skill levels, the implementation of orders requires privacy

outside of it.”

Concerns

Lata, Christina … setting standards in one’s work …

Poised for leadership?

…as the process gains momentum … there is hope for more successes

Project Contact

Kiosk Networkn-Logue Communications Pvt Ltd. 5th Floor, Gokul ArcadeNo: 2 Sardar Patel RoadAdyar, Chennai – 600020, Indiawebsite: www.n-logue.co.ine-mail: [email protected]

Services Team (Crafts) Telecommunications and Computer

Networks Group327, 2nd Floor, Department of Electrical SciencesIndian Institute of Technology (IIT) MadrasAdyar, Chennai – 600036, Indiawebsite: www.tenet.res.ine-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]