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Transforming the Lives of Chanderi Weavers through Digital Intervention
EXCERPTS
DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION (DEF)
In 2002, DEF was registered as a not-for-profit organization under the Indian Societies Registration Act, 1860. Set up to help the marginalized communities living in socio-economic backwardness, DEF aimed to spread awareness about information technology and digital communications among these sections. DEF had been developing digital platforms for the masses, especially in the deprived and poor areas, and helping to bridge the gap between people, information technology, and digital communication... |
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PROJECT CHANDERIYAAN
In a bid to preserve Chanderi art, in 2009, Jyotiraditya Scindia granted a sum of INR 15 million to DEF to bring the old and new (practices) of Chanderi together through a project. In February 2009, with the support of the Department of IT, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT), Government of India, and in association with the Media Lab Asia , DEF launched the project – Chanderiyaan..
DIGITAL INTERVENTION THROUGH CHANDERIYAAN
By 2010, Chanderiyaan brought in a fresh momentum and renewed interest among the Chanderi families to work together. (Refer to Exhibit VIII for Different Aspects of the Chanderiyaan) The ICT resource center of Chanderi helped to fuse advanced technology with traditional skills, and facilitated value addition to the products. DEF and Chanderiyaan took various initiatives in many areas for the benefit of the weavers of Chanderi...
ENHANCED MARKET REACH
Chanderiyaan trained the weavers to develop digital designs after which they were no longer reluctant to try out new designs. Soon, the weavers started adopting new designs. As a result, the demand for the products also increased in the market...
IMPACT AND OUTCOME OF CHANDERIYAAN
Chanderiyaan had changed the lives of 3,500 weaver families of Chanderi. The outcome of the project was overwhelming and was appreciated by many analysts and industry experts. The objective of the project – to help the Chanderi weavers find sound economic sustenance and a dignified way of living for themselves and their future generations – looked closer to accomplishment. Apart from raising the average income of the weavers, the project brought new hope for the younger generations...
UPCOMING CHALLENGES
Chanderiyaan was counted among the few successful programs of rural development. It received a positive response from the Chanderi weavers and the society, and was considered very successful in terms of creating enthusiasm among and strong participation from the community...
AND THE JOURNEY CONTINUES…
Manzar pointed out that in just three to five years, Chanderiyaan had transformed the lives of the Chanderi weavers and that it had the potential to become an inspiration for similar projects. He believed that the project could be replicated across all weaving clusters of the country. The project director, Shahid, too was optimistic about developing the Chanderiyaan model in different areas of the country like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha which were technology deprived...
EXHIBITS
Exhibit I:Monogram of Commonwealth Games, 2010
Exhibit II:Chanderi Saree, Stole, and Dupatta
Exhibit III:Overview of Fabric Production
Exhibit IV:Evolution of DEF
Exhibit V:DEF’s Areas of Work
Exhibit VI:Mission of Chanderiyaan
Exhibit VII:Activities at Chanderiyaan’s Chanderi Weavers ICT Resource Center (CWIRC)
Exhibit VIII:Different Aspects of Chanderiyaan
Exhibit IX:Impact and Outcome of Chanderiyaan
