US Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Clinton today visited the Hansiba, SEWA Trade Facilitation Center Brand’s retail shop in Mumbai during her visit to the city. Ms Clinton was showcased the ‘Hansia’ collection, an exquisite display of hand embroidery skills and also had a dialogue with the artisans - the shareholders of STFC (SEWA Trade Facilitation Center), a not for profit company jointly owned and managed by over 3200 rural artisans. The brand belongs to the artisans, who are the shareholders of STFC.
Speaking at the occasion, Ela Bhatt, Founder of SEWA said, ‘We are extremely honored to extend a welcome to Ms Clinton today and thank her for her support to SEWA over the years. Hillary Clinton has been a friend, supporter and guide of SEWA for more than a decade now, since she first visited SEWA in 1995, as the First Lady of the United States of America. She has since demonstrated a keen interest in the progress of SEWA and has brought forth the issues of the poor informal sector workers to global policy debates.”
Reema Nanavaty, Director, Rural and Economic development at SEWA gave an update on women and trade. She said, ‘The present global economic crises have posed challenges in the lives and work of the rural poor producers. Yet, SEWA, through its members own Business organizations SEWA Trade Facilitation centre and RUDI is trying to create market access. We are confident that with access to newer markets, we will be able to cope and mitigate these challenges. Today we want to highlight to Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Clinton, the huge important role of women and trade to fight poverty, ensure peace, stability and inclusive growth.”
Jyoti Macwan, General Secretary, Gauriben Ramabhai, Vice President, Ramilaben, President, Ranbai Rauma, Executive Committee member of SEWA were also present at the occasion.
About SEWA:
Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), founded by Ela Bhatt in 1972 organizes poor women workers in the informal economy. Currently with 1.1 million members SEWA is India’s single largest women’s organization. SEWA works in 9 states of India and has affiliates in South Asia. SEWA’s goals are full employment and self-reliance. SEWA strives to achieve “Second Freedom”: Economic freedom for its members equals freedom from poverty. The challenge of economic freedom is growing much larger than before despite progress for SEWA members on many fronts.
About Hansiba:
Hansiba stands for the ethno-modern style, a style so unique, that it is only matched by the richness of the traditional craft behind it. In essence, it is a fusion of the traditional and the contemporary, a medium where the rural and the urban join hands to capture the imagination of the world. The brand Hansiba is a revolution inspired by Hansibaben – the first rural artisan of SEWA who through her courage and determination inspired SEWA and showed the way to thousands of rural women to pull themselves out of poverty.
Hansiba belongs to STFC (SEWA Trade Facilitation Center), a not for profit company jointly owned and managed by over 3200 rural artisans. Right from the raw material to the final touches, the entire supply chain is made up of rural women. Every single piece of Hansiba you purchase has been carefully nurtured by rich hands of the poor to the highest levels of quality. 65% of the price you pay goes to the families of the different rural artisans who have tended to it.
Hansiba, a Brand of Identity…
Hansiba is a fashion brand launched by more than 15000 women artisans/ rural artisans with 100% handcrafted products. Hansiba represents thousands of women with precious skill of hand embroidery & craft, who have created sustainable employment at every stage of supply chain, leading to a self sufficient and dignified life. Every single Hansiba creation is painstakingly shaped by artisans whose families have been involved in the craft for many, many generations, across centuries, often in the face of extremely harsh situations.
The USPs of Hansiba…
1. Embroidery – All the products are hand embroidered and hand crafted
2. 65% of all sales go directly to the artisans.
3. Artisans are the shareholders and suppliers of the company / They are the managers and owners of the company
“Life of my family hangs by the thread I embroider” – Jamuben (an artisan and shareholder)
