About Nari Dana
Our Story
Nari Dana is a social enterprise carrying on a “freedom trade” It exists to lift women out of a life trapped in poverty, by selling handmade products they have created.
Nari Dana means “women’s wings” in Bengali, and it describes how women are provided with wings which enable them to achieve their “freedom” (mukti). This concept is embodied in the Nari Dana logo of the bird flying free from captivity.
Nari Dana grew out of the work of the Cathedral Relief Service (CRS) which works with the poorest of the poor in Kolkata’s slums and surrounding impoverished villages. Nari Dana was formed to provide a sales outlet for women trained in sewing and embroidery by CRS.
The inspiration for Nari Dana came from teaming up with Veronica, who had worked in the UK textile industry, and who used her expertise to help establish the new business. When Veronica visited Kolkata in November 2014, about 140 women from the slums travelled to St Paul’s Cathedral to meet her, all of whom were eager to take part in the project. That was how Nari Dana was born. Ritu Ghosh was recruited as Quality and Production Manager, and she then worked with Veronica to develop products and designs for Nari Dana.
Today
CRS trains about 250 women each year, and at the end of their training, they are evaluated and awarded certificates by the Government and CRS. Many of the women go on to work for Nari Dana at one of the two main production centres, one of which is in the grounds of the Cathedral, and the other in the Bishop’s House. In addition to being paid a fair wage for their work, they receive continuing training, particularly in quality control. Some of the women go on to obtain employment in businesses in Kolkata.
More information about the Cathedral Relief Service and its work can be found here http://www.cathedralreliefservice.net/
Objectives of Nari Dana
- To provide a secure income for women in slums and villages in which CRS is working.
- To develop a wide range of attractive merchandise which will be marketable on the domestic and overseas (principally UK) markets.
- To encourage members of the workforce to participate in the running of the business.
- To develop a Freedom Trade, by which is meant a business to develop and sell products made by women trapped by poverty, prostitution and other social ills, in order to enable them to earn a decent and secure living.
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Address
Cathedral Relief Service, St. Paul’s Cathedral, 1 Cathedral Road, Kolkata 700 071, West Bengal, India
Call Us
+91 33 2223 3292
