Karnataka   

Stree Shakti goes to market

Inviting: The exhibition-cum-sale organised by the Women and Child Welfare Department in Chitradurga.

Chitradurga: “Before participating in exhibitions, my work was confined to my village,” says Saroja, one of the members of 90 women’s groups participating in a district-level exhibition-cum-sale organised by the Department of Women and Child Welfare.

The department has been organising such events for the past five years to promote cottage industries and self-employment and encourage the Stree Shakti self-help groups.

Saroja’s participation in such exhibitions has helped her gain professional exposure and sell her products at a profit.

Several women are participating in the exhibition being held at Vasavi Mahal here. The department has set up over 60 stalls, which have been occupied by exhibitors from the district, a few from neighbouring Davangere, and Bangalore as well.

The stalls display merchandise, decorative articles, groceries, artificial jewellery and clay materials, among others.

M.S. Jyoti, who has come from Bangalore to sell quilts, said she had been participating in exhibitions in various parts of the State for 10 years. “I have received tremendous encouragement from customers. I started off alone, but now have six people working with me. My quilts are largely sold in Bangalore, but a clientele from other districts is also emerging,” she said.A self-help group formed by six women of Turuvanoor village of the taluk is very happy with the efforts made by the department to help them. Anupama, one of the members of the group, said they were participating in the exhibition for the first time and were happy with the way their business was going. The group makes products such as chilly powder, papad and pickles. She said the department had promised to provide better markets for their products. “The aim behind organising such exhibitions is to provide better markets to women entrepreneurs, particularly those from rural areas, who have fewer options compared to their urban counterparts. We are happy with the positive response received here,” said an official of the department. The five-day exhibition, which began on Thursday, will end on October 8.

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