The organization

Alice Unwin a volunteer from the UK organized the Samthar Women’s working group (SWWG) during her Easter holidays from the UK in Mar 2007. Seed capital was provided by General Jimmy Singh.  The amount catered for purchase of raw material to commence production of handicrafts, and also enables making cash payments to members as soon as they deliver a product... Sale of products to foreign tourists visiting Samthar was arranged. 20 ladies are now earning out of this component.

The SWWG module has been organized with Sub Modules from various parts of the Samthar Area. The head teacher at the Pre School is the Module Executive. She is assisted by a foreign volunteer.

Local ladies are encouraged to form sub modules based on grouping of local area hamlets. Ladies with skills in handicrafts, who take up the initiative in organizing working groups, are designated as sub - module supervisors. Currently four sub-modules are functional.

Each sub - module can have any number of members- the only limiting factor being their ability to learn and produce handicrafts. The sub module supervisor is responsible for :-

• Enrolling working members from the ladies in her area
• Motivation of the ladies
• Teaching and supervising the ladies
• Checking that material is correctly cut and distributed
• Checking that the final product meets the quality  requirements
• Maintaining account of material and finished products and payments due to member

Sub- Modules, work from their homes.  The SWWG module executive meets with all the Sub- Module supervisors, once a fortnight, and gets together with all members once a month for briefings, and payments.

Product range

• Sling Bags
• Bags as outer packaging for other products
• Place mats
• Napkins
• Table Cloths
• Paddy waste products - Dish mats, seating mats  
• Packaging of ginger, masalas and pulses with recipes of Indian dishes
• Honey
• Pickles

We have more than 20 ladies who are members and have earned a good amount through value additions during the last season.

Smithy products

To encourage the village black smith to diversify and earn, the following hand made product range has been started by introducing immediate buy-back. These products are offered for sale at the Handicraft shop.

• Khukhris
• Lepcha daggers
• Spoons
• Kitchen ladles
• Forks, knifes,and spoons for display
• Metal bracelets

Bamboo products

To provide more earnings to persons engaged in basket making a diversified product range has been identified. This will be stocked in the Handicraft shop. Some are listed below:-

• Bamboo napkin holders
• Miniature carrying baskets
• Serving trays
• Waste paper baskets
• Chang (Millet beer containers) and bamboo straws

The handicrafts shop and work centre

A modest handicraft work centre cum sales outlet has been constructed on the Pre School premises. Apart from providing for a handicraft shop, for all local products, it caters for holding  meetings and workshop.

Pricing policy

Pricing policy is based on the principle of fair wages and value addition. A mutually agreed labour cost, has been worked out, which members are paid upon delivery. Thereafter the sales price is fixed by adding cost of inputs and value addition. All value addition is donated to the Awake & Shine Pre School.