Manapad Palm Leaf Society (SIPA, Chennai)

Manapad Women Workers Palm Leaf Industrial Cooperative Society (MWWPICS) was formed in 1957 to provide Market Access support to the women palm leaf weavers, who are mainly working from their homes. In the beginning there were 50 members but at present 300 members are working with the society. Since 1986, the society is affiliated to SIPA (Federation of South India Producer Associations), Chennai. SIPA extends marketing, capacity building and community development support to the Society.

Two producer workshops were organised here dat 5th - 7th October and 8th - 10th October 2009. Twenty women artisans participated in each of the trainings.

The participants were selected from 250 active members in the group (society). Most of the members of the group were from the age group of 40 - 60. The group has provides training and income generation programmes to artisans who are from economically disadvantaged producers.

The senior members of the group are aware of the Fair Trade movement. But they practice the values of Fair Trade especially as MWWPICS is a cooperative society. There is sharing of surplus generated through trade with members of the group in the form of bonus and dividend.

At present the group is marketing majority of its products in the domestic market. Although the group is able to generate considerable amount of domestic market to address the decline in the export market, the group is expecting to get more orders to provide regular work to all the artisans.

The maximum experience for an artisan in the group was 50 years. The minimum experience that an artisan had was 3 years. The specialty of the group was the half of the participants were got training from the society before joining as members. They are form the younger generation, which are expected to take the craft tradition of the area forward

The members of the group have ample experience and expertise in palm-leaf weaving, but still the work is mainly order-oriented. If the groups understanding and awareness about market demand can be increased, they can really come out with more market centric products. At present the excessive rise in the price of palm-leaf is the major challenge being faced by the group. Due to the cutting down of palms, there is scarcity of palm leaf.

The trainees included the former President of the group. The group has systems in place to receive, manage and deliver orders. An able coordinator who has multi-tasking capacity ensures continuance of the activities of the group despite the changes in the governing board as part of annual elections or interventions by the cooperative department of the government. The group has an efficient financial management system.

To contact Manapad Society write to: sipa@vsnl.com or jay@fairtradeforum.org

FT Plus: Trainings

1. Stone & Zari combined Group of Pushpanjali, Agra
2. A Combined Group of SIPA, Chennai
3. Palm Leaf Group of SHARE, Vellore
4. Pulicat Palm Leaf Society of SIPA, Chennai
5. Inner Reflection -Puducherry of SIPA
6. Sivam Pottery -Puducherry of SIPA
7. Timely Aiding Society - Puducherry of SIPA
8. Groups of Sabala, Bijapur
9. CAST Natural Fibre Group 1of SIPA
10. CAST Natural Fibre Group 2 of SIPA
11. Combined Group of Conserve, New Delhi
12. Manapad Palm Leaf Soceity Group 1 of SIPA
13. Manapad Palm Leaf Society Group 2 of SIPA
14. Combined Group 1 of Noah's Ark, Moradabad
15. Combined Group of ESAF, Thrissur
16. Priya Niketan - Thiruvananthapuram of SIPA
17. Comined Group of Orupa, Anwesha, Aparajitha, Biswa & Unnayan of Orissa
18. Combined Group 2 of Noah's Ark
19. Combined Group of FTCI, New Delhi (observer)

To contact these groups/ IMOs write to: jay@fairtradeforum.org

Fair Trade Plus

Fair Trade Plus was a great effort. First of its kind as it was for the first time that a well organised, committed group of Fair Trade trainers, trained and equipped with a "Fair Trade Tool Kit", supported by well experienced "Fair Trade Mentors" going to selected groups to build up Fair Trade adherence. No wonder that turned out to be amazing success!!

I am proud of being a part of the group of "Trainers." I have also got a rare opportunity to go to diverse variety of producer groups, partly due to mere accident, yes accident. Friends, there are many stories to tell. In deed, I will tell you.

But later, as of now, one more thing, Fair Trade Plus is a project being jointly organised by Traidcraft Exchange-UK, Fair Trade Forum - India and FAKT-Germany. The project is supported by the European Commission and BTC (Belgium Technical Cooperation).

I must be thankful to FTF-I, Traidcraft Exchange - Jo Huband and Alistair, trainers, Mr. K.Panchaksharam and Ms. Padmaja Pai - Mentors for their support and encouragement.

And, tributes to Prof. Shyam S. Sharma, our Guru and our dear freind Mohamad Usman, who have left for their heavenly abode during the project period.

For more details about the project, log on to: http://www.fairtradeforum.org/ or write to opyaday@fairtradeforum.org