Brief Information of the Supplier´s!

Writing on the blog seems fun and helpful. However, as I haven’t gotten much used to this social network, I am still wondering about the things to be put up on the blog. It’s taking some time on my part to buck up myself.

I am thankful to Lilian who created this blog where I can pen down my thoughts related to my work and other stuffs as well. Till now, she has been updating information about the organizations and artisans that we have been visiting and meeting.

Lilian visited one of KKM’s branches i.e. Brahmpuri in Rishikesh with Miss Dhondup Dolma (Sponsorship Secretary) and interviewed some artisans, which was updated on the blog. And last week, we went to KKM in Dehradun to meet with other leprosy affected and cured artisans working there. My responsibility is to hold the camera and help her in translating whenever and wherever needed. I am having a good time observing and learning.

We will also visit few other organizations in the days to come and during Lilian’s stay. And these organizations are the ones with whom we have been working with for a very long time, both in the field of financial support and business.

The Organizations:-

A: In Dehradun

1) IMEX (IM Export): It is a carpet weaving unit started by SOIR-IM, India in 1976 in order to provide job opportunities to Tibetan refugees. The carpets are mainly exported to IM fair trade shops in Sweden. There are other individual buyers from abroad as well as local buyers.

2) Tibetan Women Centre(TWC): The unit was established in 1965 with the main aim to rehabilitate and uplift the socio-economic status of the Tibetan refugees. Women empowerment was one of the major concern with the establishment of this unit.

3) Dekyiling Tibetan Handicraft Centre(DTHC): The handicraft Centre was founded in 1984 and its main objective was to rehabilitate and provide the needy and under privilieged Tibetan Refugees with training and employment in order to make them self reliant.

4) Kuru Kshetra Mandal (KKM): This unit was started in 1962 by Lt. Mother Agnes Kunze and the principle aim was to give dignity and a feeling of self reliance to leprosy affected patient through job opportunities.

B. In Dharamsala

1) Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet (Lungta): This organization came into existence with the main aim to provide job opportunities to ex-political prisoners of Tibet. Their products are named Lungta Products and they are involved in tailoring/stitching. However, the tailors working at present in the unit are Tibetan REFUGEES but not ex-political prisoners of Tibet.

2) Clean Upper Dharamsala Recycled Paper Project: The recycled paper project was initiated by the Settlement Office under Department of Home, Tibetan Govt. in Exile and financed by Swedish Organization for Individual Relief(SOIR-IM). This project not only focuses on an environmental friendly society but also provide job opportunties to young tibetan Refugees who fled from Tibet.

3) Beads Group: It’s the first time that we will be visiting this group. The artisans working in this unit are Tibetan refugees mainly women. We will feed in more information after our visit.

C. MESH (Maximising the Employment to Serve the handicapped) : MESH is a trading unit, a member of national network for fair trade i.e. Fair Trade Forum-India which helps rehabilitation groups with exporting their products to different countries and also in the local market i.e. MESH shops in Delhi & Hyderabad. They work with differently abled people such as Polio affected, Leprosy affected and others.

We are planning to visit one of MESH’s groups.

D. Fair Trade Forum-India (FTF-I): FTF-I is the national network for fair trade in India. On July 31st, we are going to attend a workshop on Fair Wage policy organized by Fair Trade Forum-India for all its members.

We will upload the information later on.

/Youdon Tsering