Stories of Struggle & Stories of Hope!
At Nesavaali, we want to create a better life for everybody supporting to make our clothing & accessories items, their families and their well being. Over the past few weeks, our priorities have shifted in ways we could barely have imagined before. But this is the time we had to rethink creatively about old problems in new innovative ways and make sure to support artisans with a secured job, and support locals who are leaving their livelihoods vulnerable to the virus.
Collaborating up with our social enterprises partner ivillage at India, where we help artisans – mostly women from villages who are marginalised and far from the labour community. As their tagline says “from Village to the world”, they make unique tailor-made fashion accessories for our brand. Their main aim is to offer high quality products and services and contribute to the general upliftment of society, specifically creating employment opportunities for rural women and empowering them through social and financial independence.
Thinking creatively about old problems in new innovative ways!
With more and more people under orders to stay at home, the focus is on essentials: food, medication and toiletries and strict lock-downs in a country like India this means the labours who live hand-to-mouth. A social enterprise and innovative fashion label fused into one, we have been proud to be a part of offering job opportunities & placing orders to ivillage through whom the women folk are making sustainable 100% cotton, reusable, more breathable washable masks from their homes. Read more about them here.
iVillage women making masks from their homes. A source of income in these times is extremely important to them, especially as they are the sole earning members of their family now. These families have been the worst hit by the pandemic - without even being infected by the virus!
The ivillage team have given their production centre where it is quarantined as shelter for the needy. However, it does not stop them to work harder at the need of the hour! At Nesavaali we have always helped customers make the right buying decisions, what more can be responsible as a buyer to make sure the purchase benefits the one in need the most.
Stories of Struggle, Stories of Hope!
But what about the locals? Social distancing means hunger for many in India. It would be an unheard-of luxury for street vendors, ragpickers who live day to day. Teaming together we are pleased & gratified to in turn donate our ordered masks sewn by ivillage to the visually impaired at the Blind Relief Association, who are cooking their hearts out everyday to help & provide food for the needy! Blind Relief Association is 75-year-old NGO that helps children and adults with visual disabilities empowering them with education, training programs and rehabilitation. Read more about them here.
Image source from https://blindrelief.org/
Visually impaired members at Belief Relief preparing everyday free meals!
Food prepared by the visually impaired members at Blind Relief Association being distributed to the locals on the streets!
Reusable cotton masks made by ivillage donated to the locals!
More than 80 percent of India's workers do not have paid sick leave & we at Nesavaali pledge to continue to help as many as possible the best as we can. It would only make sense to leave the surgical masks for the healthcare professionals and get more sustainable using the washable cotton masks in this situation. As a small business, we aim to help more in need every way possible wherever we can, and readily waiting to help the people in need in the UK expectantly when the flights are open to imports from our production base,India.
What we were doing three weeks ago might not be relevant any more, and what does the future hold? Staying in love, showing more kindness and being positive in the mind is going to get us come out stronger than ever.
