One dream that uplifted a hundred others | Usha Varia | #SapnonKiUdaanPoorna
Usha’s story is one of humble beginnings. This daughter of a car mechanic from Bihar barely knew English when she stepped foot into the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad. Today, she has woven a name for herself as a textile designer of international acclaim and runs an NGO that empowers other women to weave happiness in their lives as well.
Samoolam: How Usha Varia’s social business crocheted a success story while empowering rural women in Bihar
Around 2009, when Usha visited her parents at Gaya, Bihar, she felt they were getting affected by isolation. All seven of their children had settled down in different cities after completing their education and getting married and loneliness was taking a toll on them, especially her mother. Their youngest child Usha, a textile designer and social development professional, thought of setting up a home-based self-reliant enterprise that would not only utilise her mother’s excellent crochet skills but also empower women and girls, who mostly remain on the fringes of Bihar’s patriarchal society.
Samoolam Crochets Towards Social Change and Women Empowerment!
Collective roots- that’s what Samoolam means in Sanskrit. Samoolam dives into the roots of India and carefully crochets its way into India’s craft.Samoolam was founded in 2009 in Gaya, Bihar, with the idea of generating employability and livelihood for rural women in the area.
Samoolam Crochets Towards Social Change and Women Empowerment!
Collective roots- that’s what Samoolam means in Sanskrit. Samoolam dives into the roots of India and carefully crochets its way into India’s craft.Samoolam was founded in 2009 in Gaya, Bihar, with the idea of generating employability and livelihood for rural women in the area.
Craft, crochet and social change come together at Samoolam
With a new festive collection and projects with Fabindia and Good Earth, Samoolam is now looking to go internationalUsha Prajapati often wakes up in the middle of the night to scribble in her diary. At Samoolam (Collective Roots), the NGO founded by her — to give creative and monitory support to over 200 underprivileged women — these scribbles become part of designs that find expression in crocheted jewellery and home décor. Like the new Christmas collection featuring red-and-blue silk charms, bunting, wreaths and dream catchers.
Usha Prajapati- Freunde-von-Freunden (Friends of Friends)
In the Indian district of Gaya, in Bihar, stands the tree under which the Buddha received enlightenment. Its roots are ancient but every season new leaves appear on the tree’s branches and new generations gather under it, seeking the legend of the Buddha.
Event MaahiRoj: Usha Prajapati Of NGO Samoolam
Usha Prajapati established Samoolam – Awakening Gaia – few years back in a quest to improve the lives of Bihari women. At Samoolam, crochet craft training is given to rural women using low investment in terms of equipment and raw materials. The final products are then sold in exhibitions around the country and in outlets of Fab India, Anokhi, etc.
Vodafone Foundation Connected Women Report 2014Women of pure wonder. Struggle | Survival | Success
The Vodafone Foundation, in collaboration with the Cherie Blair Foundation. This report has been produced by the Vodafone Group, supported by the Vodafone Foundation and in collaboration with Professor Linda Scott of the Saïd Business School and Accenture Sustainability Services. The theme is “How mobile can support women’s economic and social empowerment”.
Movie: Jai Ho, 2014
Samoolam earrings and neck piece styled in the movie on a support cast.
