Farmer’s support initiative
COVID-19 affected several farmers who were left with harvested produce on their lands with no buyers. Bhoomika supported a few farmers by buying several truck loads of cabbages, red pumpkin from farmers in Chengalpattu district and distributing it to underprivileged affected communities.
Livelihood support for daily wage earners
In Nannikuppam, Cuddalore district, 9 Irula families who have been engaged in de-shelling cashew nuts, were provided with mechanical cashew nut crackers in July 2020, with the objective of providing better and sustainable tools for their livelihood. Our grassroots partner Ennangalin Sangamam provided us support on the field to identify beneficiaries and the fabricator.
Restarting livelihood for 100 Weavers
When you are concerned about your COVID risk, when you are constrained for funds, when job security is shaky, the tendency is to conserve and to not spend on non-essentials.
The handloom weavers in many clusters who sustain themselves only by their weaving and selling month on month were in dire straits as they went for several months without income.
In the month of September 2020 Bhoomika launched a WEAVERS SUPPORT initiative with the guidance of Ms Sabita Radhakrishna, an eminent textile designer and crafts activist to help 100 weavers go back to weaving. Weavers were identified from 4 clusters namely Arani, Anakaputhur Jalakandapuram and Thanjavur. The weavers were provided with yarn wages to start weaving sarees. Sabita Radhakrishna guided them on design and worked with Bhoomika on designing of catalogues to create a market. Sarees made of natural fibres like banana, aloevera, bamboo in addition to handloom were woven from these clusters and marketed.
