CHENNAI: Successfully establishing a sanitary manufacturing company, a first of its kind in the State, a group of Irula community women have signed a business deal with a popular footwear-making company to supply napkins for the women labourers.

As part of the rehabilitation programme, the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) extended financial assistance to the tune of Rs 18.5 lakh to establish the manufacturing unit on the premises of the country’s first Smart Colony, which was created for the released bonded labourers from Irula community at Meesanallur in Tiruvannamalai district.

“We have signed a business agreement with Lotus Footwear Enterprises to supply 20,000 napkins to women labourers in two of its units in Cheyyar and Bargur. We have already dispatched the first batch of our products to the Bargur unit, while the remaining stocks will be delivered in the coming days,” said J Priya, a survivor of the bonded labourer system. She is one among the 12-member team running the firm.

They have also come up with a brand name for the product ‘Vaagai’ and are exploring more business opportunities.

Another survivor and member of the group said they want to bring more women from their community on board.

“We’ve been helping the women to learn the nuance of business to emerge as successful entrepreneurs,” said a representative of a civil organisation, who has been guiding the women entrepreneurs to run the firm and extending technical support.

If things go as per the plan, the firm would make a business to the tune of Rs 75,000 per month. “We will share the revenue. There are certain limitations in delivering the product in one go. We are working on that, said Priya adding “We also want to enhance our monthly turnover to make it an economically viable venture.”