If you read our blog regularly, you know that one of the perks of being a member of a fair trade cooperative is the opportunity to take classes and attend workshops. One of our artisan cooperatives recently updated us on what they’ve been doing– they’ve been celebrating and learning quite a bit!
On March 8, they celebrated International Women’s Day with the theme, “Make It Happen.” This day emphasized the importance of standing up for female rights: giving girls and women the education they deserve, taking a stance for gender equality, and speaking out against malicious practices like female feticide and the dowry system. Over 60 people attended, including artisans, college students, and children from the group’s learning center. During the celebration, people got the chance to share their personal stories and experiences with gender inequality.
Did you know there’s a special day dedicated to water? In addition to International Women’s Day, the cooperative took part in World Water Day by learning about water conservation and sustainable development. They participated in group activities to better understand their daily water usage. Other topics discussed that day were the water crisis prominent in Delhi slums and water’s role in gender equality. Today in many villages, women have to walk far distances to collect water. Having access to a clean potable supply in their villages would greatly reduce the women’s effort and bring good health to all.
Many artisans attended a First Aid and Fire Safety Training Session in Agra (where the Taj Mahal is located). After reviewing precautions one can take to prevent workplace injuries, experts Dr. Singh and Dr. Pathak explained proper first aid procedures when dealing with common issues such as burns, vomiting, and dehydration. There was even a live demonstration of fire control where a fire was created and the experts showed the proper way to extinguish it.
It’s so inspiring to see the artisans and their families and communities so involved and passionate about making the world a better place. Keep up the great work!