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Rishilpi Development Projects
Satkhira, Bangladesh |
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Rishilpi, a nonprofit, nongovernmental development
organization in southwest Bangladesh, was founded to
improve the lives of people of the "untouchable"
Rishi caste. |
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“Rishilpi” is formed from two Bengali words, “Rishi,”
denoting the caste, and “shilpi,” meaning artist or
craftsman. Rishi, traditionally leather workers, for
centuries have lived at the margins of Bengali
society. Generally landless, with no easy access to
schools, many struggled in a continual search for
work to survive. By giving these artisans education
and employment, Rishilpi helps them breach barriers
confronting them in society. In addition to income
generation, Rishilpi conducts relief and development
work in rural Bangladesh communities. Benefits to
artisans include education sponsorship, health care,
microcredit savings programs and early marriage
prevention support for their adolescent daughters. |
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Rishilpi was founded in 1977 by two Italian
missionaries to improve the lives of the Rishi
caste. More than 1,580 artisans make and market
crafts through Rishilpi. Embroidery, wheat straw,
palm leaf and jute sections provide work for poor
women from rural villages who have been widowed or
abandoned. Some women twist jute into cord at home
and others knot macramé crafts at the center. Men at
the Rishilpi leather center, many of them disabled,
fashion wood and leather products. |
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Ten
Thousand Villages purchases palm baskets, date leaf
coasters, wheat straw paper cards and nativities
from Rishilpi Development Projects. Ten Thousand
Villages have purchased products from Rishilpi
Development Projects since 1983. |
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Rishilpi was
founded in 1977 to improve the lives of the
"untouchable" Rishi caste. |
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Rishilpi presently
employs more than 2,000 artisans in southwest
Bangladesh. |
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Artisans make
products from wheat straw, palm leaf, jute,
leather and wood. |
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Artisans primarily
work from their own homes. Rishilpi also has two
workshops, for leather and for wheatstraw
artisans. |
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Ten Thousand
Villages carries wheatstraw cards and
nativities, leather boxes and bags, palm leaf
baskets and bags, and Karchupi embroidery from
Rishilpi. |
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Rishilpi
Development Projects
Bangladesh |
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 Rishilpi
is the life work of Enzo and Lara Falcone. It was
started in order to help the “untouchables” of the
Rishi caste in southwest Bangladesh by exporting
their leather products. Since then, Rishilpi has
expanded to include others and now provides much
needed employment for over 2000 people. Men at the
leather centre, many of them disabled, fashion wood
and leather products. Women work on embroidery,
tailoring, and palm leaf, jute and wheat straw
items. |
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Rishilpi has helped to
establish 14 village schools, and has a daycare and
primary school (up to grade 5) right on the
compound. After the grade 5 level, Rishilpi works to
place the children in the local schools. They also
provide night classes for adults. As with many other
artisan groups, saving plans and loans are
available. Health services are provided with a
special focus on those with physical and mental
disabilities. In this remote corner of Bangladesh,
Enzo and Lara have created an oasis of love and
care. |
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Rishilpi, a nonprofit, nongovernmental
development organization in southwest
Bangladesh was founded by two Italian
missionaries who wanted to improve the lives
of people of the "untouchable" Rishi caste.
Embroidery, wheat straw, palm leaf and jute
sections provide work for poor women from
rural villages who have been widowed or
abandoned. Some women twist jute into cord
at home and others knot macramé crafts at
the center. Men at the Rishilpi leather
center, many of them disabled, fashion wood
and leather products. Rishilpi Development
Projects provides much needed income to more
than 2,000 people who would otherwise be
outcasts in the community. Ten Thousand
Villages purchases palm baskets, date leaf
coasters, wheat straw paper cards and
nativities from Rishilpi Development
Projects. Ten Thousand Villages has
purchased products from Rishilpi Development
Projects since 1983. |
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Before
Rishilpi Development Project began work
in Satkhira District, the poorest
people, particularly the outcaste Rishis,
had no work and thus no income. By
encouraging the men to make traditional
leather items & the women to practise
Nakshi Kantha embroidery, Rishilpi
provided them with income-generating
opportunities and a means of sustaining
their livelihoods. Then, by association
with the Fair Trade movement, Rishilpi
was able to export its Handicrafts
products to companies abroad, which
supported the Fair Trade principle. Most
of Rishilpi’s products are exported &
most of Rishilpi’s buyers are active in
Fair Trade activities. Rishilpi’s
producers have benefited from Rishilpi’s
involvement with Fair Trade, because it
has helped them to earn income. This has
improved the quality of their lives and
that of their families also. |
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Contact
Information:
Post Box No 8
Satkhira – 9400, Bangladesh
Source: ttv site |
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