Revival of livelihoods in urban communities

In a free enterprise, the community is not just another stakeholder, but is in fact the very purpose of its existence - Jamshetji Tata

Last few months of lockdown has had a disastrous effect on local small businesses leaving them with zero revenue. Parama Naturals has been partnering with Development Support Team (DST) for reviving income streams of community women and micro-entrepreneurs in federations, by giving them additional work, thinking innovatively, and enabling digital outreach for them.

In line with our philosophy of inclusivity and sustainability, we work on an ongoing basis with community women and source the maximum possible directly from farmer producer organisations.

But post Covid, the challenge has been very different, as community intervention was limited and training on new skills could not be conducted. To overcome these challenges, we used the following 4-pronged approach -

• Identify the current market needs
• Mapping existing skill sets to new opportunities
• Designing suitable products
• Enabling a digital platform to provide market linkages

Design and promotion of a suitable product combination by the Parama-Prerana Partnership

Along with DST, we put on our creative hats, and came up with the idea of a special festive Diwali collection. In this, we would combine our products with those that community women from the Prerana Mahila Vikas Sangh could make.

The festive season of Diwali is a time for celebration, gifting and also a time to start a regimen for the winter or the dry, cold season. So we -

1. created a special PARAMA-PRERANA Diwali Abhyanga Snana Collection. This is in line with the Indian and Ayurvedic tradition of Rutucharya, which is meant to help one to remove the effects of the long-drawn out heat and monsoons and get ready for the oncoming winter and dry spell.
2. made combinations of different sizes and price points to suit different needs (self or gifting) and budgets.
3. engaged the community women entrepreneurs for –

• Hand-painting diyas and decorating them
• Making cloth bags, chemical free, microbial free, hand dyed using waste turmeric after oil extraction

4. enabled a digital platform for them through the Ishanya Yellow Ribbon Fair and on our website.

So the PARAMA-PRERANA Diwali Abhyanga Snana pack contains -

1. A ENRICHING EXFOLIATOR UBTAN (UTHNA) Ayurvedic Face and Body Scrub - from Parama Naturals - with the goodness of Haldi, Chandan and other herbs
2. A MOISTURISING Turmeric Face & Body Oil - from Parama Naturals
3. FESTIVE HAND-PAINTED DIYAS - made by the ladies of the Prerana Mahila Vikas Sangh

• The packs come either in festive potlis made by the community women, or festively packed hand-crafted boxes (made from recycled or wood-free paper).
• Priced the smallest at Rs250/- suited for a single person to the largest family pack at Rs1250/-

So get the benefits of the Abhyanga Snana, and light up the lives of the community too!

Do share other ideas for forthcoming periods, so that we can engage larger numbers or maintain continuity throughout the year.

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