COVID-19 hit rural Artisanal community basic wage compensation

Artisans constitute the 2nd largest source of Livelihood after Agriculture (11 M- 13Million officially & upto 70 Million unofficially. This industry offers socio-economic stability to India via directly contributing to 11 out of the 17 SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) with simple tooling, low investment & extremely low carbon footprint in production processes, where women can work from home. Who understand Many countries

KADAM HAAT is a platform based in Kolkata, WEST BENGAL that supports 1000’s of such artisans from West Bengal, Orissa & Uttar Pradesh after training them to make good quality & appropriate designs).

With COVID-19, the uncertainty of all industries loom large & since this industry supports 10’s of 1000’s of families at low cost, WE WANT TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF OUR RURAL PRODUCERS & COMMUNITIES. This is good also since it reduces City migration & in this scenario mostly artisans WORK FROM HOME. Availability of raw material not being there because of LOCKDOWN now, we want to protect their basic existence by paying them a basic stipend for next 2 months 

In the choppy waters we all are in, currently the basic instinct is just to keep afloat & survive. For this we have identified the number of artisans & the amount of money that could be given as stipend per cluster of artisans for May, June ‘2020 months.

During trainings given to each cluster head, smart phones were provided to them so they are accessible and each cluster has bank accounts in which the money will be transferred.

Meanwhile they will be initiated in engaging themselves in using whatever raw materials they have existing to make products which we anticipate will be in demand post COVID.

They will also be our RURAL front line TASK-FORCE to prevent & monitor COVID-19 and advocate to fellow artisan communities to follow social distancing strictly.

RURAL INDIA, where our handicraft industry covers 2nd largest number of people in livelihood with least cost as low as 1500/- per household, will be taken care of within their households and they become the ambassadors of social distancing within their large cluster community as well.  

U.P Mathura (cotton & canvas bags)-                 1,65,000/-   (55 artisans)

U.P Hardoi (Moonj Grass basketry)-                       30,000/-   (10 artisans)

U.P Sitapur (Rug weaving & Block printing)-      1,65,000/-  (55 artisans)

U.P Sultanpur (crochet craft)-                                  75,000/-   (25 artisans)

W.B East Midnapore (bamboo craft)-                 1,02,000/-    (34 artisans)

W.B West Midnapore (Sabaii craft)-                    3,12,000/-   (104 artisans)

W.B West Midnapore (Madhurkati craft)-             4,500/-     (6 artisans)

 TOTAL                                                          8,53,500/-    (289 families for 2 months)-