Creative outlet for tsunami survivors

Chennai

Kaustav Sengupta, an associate professor at the National Institute of Fashion Technology,  has been working extensively with underprivileged women of Kannagi Nagar through his InkLink Charitable Trust. The trust helps them find means to earn a living.

Recycling plastics

Started in 2012, the Trust began training 20 underprivileged women who suffered during the tsunami. “The core skill development programme we conduct is to teach the women how to recycle plastic packets so that drains are not choked anymore. The workshop was designed to train women on plastic collection, recycling, thread creation, knitting and product development. The participants were paid a daily allowance to encourage them to learn. Also, everybody got a certificate. It was partly supported by Sabic India,” says Kaustav.

Their latest plastic waste art ‘Tree of Hope’ was displayed at Hotel Aloft recently. Now that they have mastered the art, they are being trained to sell their products. Kaustav also organises creative learning workshops for underprivileged children in the locality. “We believe every child is creative if rightly mentored, encouraged and provided the opportunity to show case his skills,” says Kaustav, who along with Shaswati Sengupta, takes classes with the help of volunteers.

Meeting basic needs

Kaustav and his team ensured that relief and aid reached the locality during recent floods, a time  when no volunteer was willing to visit the locality. “We coordinated the distribution of clothes to Kannagi Nagar’s flood-affected families. One common request we received was, ‘Can you give us a month’s rice? By that time we will manage to stand up and find some work’. Their houses were flooded and they lost their jobs. We recently provided a month’s supply of rice to 15 flood-affected homes,” says Kaustav, who found that it was difficult to find even health professionals visiting the area.

“We organised health camps with doctors from VHS hospital. The medicines were sponsored by InkLink trust. Organising a health camp was difficult as most doctors refused to come, given its reputation as a crime-infested area. Our health camp went well and we are organising another one next week for children only,” he says.

They make dolls to overcome trauma

Tsunamika is a Tsunami-related project of Auroville conceived by Upasana Design Studio. This was to help fisherwomen women overcome the trauma they experienced channelising their energy in creative activity. Around 480 women from six coastal villages were given handicraft training to make a small doll using leftover fabric from Upasana’s products. The project team then bought the these dolls from them and began distributing them as gift items. Tsunamika, as these dolls are called, became very popular and became a livelihood option for nearly 180 women, who began receiving income for every doll they made. Tsunamika dolls are popular New Year gifts.