VOCATIONAL TRAINING
AWF is dedicated to providing education and training to rural tribal communities, with a strong commitment to inclusion and gender parity. Gender equality is promoted not only within the organization but also in tribal communities. In particular, the focus is on empowering tribal women, such as those from the Sabar tribe, by harnessing their innate artistic talents in art and craft.
To facilitate this, our organization conducts tribal training workshops at Khutadih in Jamshedpur and Bishalgarh in Tripura. These workshops serve as platforms for women to enhance their skills in various tribal art forms, including tribal painting, dhokra (a form of metal casting), and creating products from kansi grass (a type of grass used for weaving). By honing their artistic abilities, the women are provided with opportunities for economic empowerment and self-sufficiency. To support the marketing and sale of the products created by these women, AWF has established an online marketplace. This platform ensures a ready market for the tribal art and craft products, connecting the artisans directly with potential customers. Additionally, the organization has introduced an innovative concept where purchasers contribute to tree plantation. When a customer buys a product, they also pay for a specified number of trees to be planted. The organization takes responsibility for planting the indicated number of trees and shares the information with the customers. This approach not only promotes environmental conservation but also engages customers in sustainable practices.
The empowerment of tribal women through education, training, and economic opportunities has broader social implications. It is believed that as these women gain empowerment, they will experience an improved quality of life and become more confident in combating domestic violence and other social abuses prevalent in their communities. By providing them with the means to support themselves and their families, this initiative aims to enhance their resilience and upliftment. In essence, AWF is dedicated to giving more power and agency to women in tribal communities. Through education, training, and economic empowerment, they are creating opportunities for these women to thrive, ensuring a better quality of life, and equipping them with the confidence and resources to address societal challenges. By fostering inclusion, gender equality, and economic independence, this initiative seeks to bring about positive transformation within tribal communities.