Final Report on the paper packaging unit set up by NEEV as a livelihoods option for the women of Rambast Slum, Jamshedpur

1. TCPA PROJECT
30TH NOVEMBER, 2011
Handmade Paper Packaging Unit for Women Vulnerable to
Trafficking
INTRODUCTION
In collaboration with IOM, NEEV started The five women chosen for the enterprise
training for Paper Bags Making Unit to were
establish community rehabilitation unit in
the community of Burmamines slum area. 1. Chandni Karmakar
The aim of the project was to start a
2. Shivani
handmade paper packaging unit for 5
women of the basti, train them over a 3. Gayatri Rajat
period of 6 months and make them suit-
able to earn their livelihood through this 4. Yashoda Devi
enterprise. 5. Mamta Karmakar
As part of phase 1 of the program, which
lasted between June, 2011 to Aug, 2011
NEEV identified trafficking survivors as Initially, finding a rented place to carry out
well as women vulnerable to trafficking the training proved to be very difficult. So
for running this enterprise so that they in the first phase till the time, the machines
have a more dignified means of earning a did not arrive, a mud hut in the basti was
livelihood as well as enhance their iden- refurbished and converted to a training
tity. centre. Initially handmade paper bags were
made in the hut as packaging for NEEV
This economic rehabilitation would pre- Herbal Handmade Soaps. The women
vent them from retrafficking. This project learnt the basic skills of measuring, folding, Handmade Paper Products made by
would also serve as a pilot basis for set- cutting , pasting and riveting. Gradually the
ting up a community based rehabilitation
Rambasti Slum Women
women got expert in making these bags.
unit for the survivors of trafficking and
prevent them from commercial sexual After the women gained proficiency in
exploitation by creating awareness and making bags, NEEV commenced phase 2 of
economic values for employment. the program
Inside this report :
PURCHASE OF MACHINES
Phase II of the project (Sept 2011—Nov 2011) started with the purchase of machines. The Shifting to New Unit 2
following machines were purchased for creating a paper packaging unit.
The women were then provided training on these machines to make various products. Formation of SHG 2
Product Development 2
Marketing Linkages 3
Way Ahead 3
Rotary Creasing Manual Cutting Shrink Wrap Rivetting

2. Page 2
TCPA PROJECT
SHIFTING TO NEW UNIT
safety and security of all equipment
could be ensured because a family was
stationed to live in the same compound
as the paper packaging unit. As majority
of the products like gift bags and gift
boxes would be consumed in the soaps
unit, the new location gave us logistical
New Production Unit
advantage.
Five cycles, sanctioned for the project
After procurement of machines, the hut were purchased so that women can
in the basti was no longer found suit- commute from their basti to the pro-
able because of space and security con- duction unit when required. It was de-
straints. Finally, after a lot of delibera- cided that the main operations requiring
tion and scouting for opportunities, a machines like cutting and creasing
new space was rented in Hurlung village would be done in bulk by the women
near the NEEV Soaps unit because of on certain days and the pasting opera-
following considerations. Firstly, the tions would be carried out in the hut
itself.
Women working in new unit
ORGANIZATION BUIDLING - FORMATION OF SHG
To get the women to work was fraught with challenges. Working as a team did not come ei-
ther easily or naturally to the women at first. Fights would erupt at the slightest of instances.
Through psycho social counseling carried out by NEEV’s project co-ordinator, Mrs Sangita
Sarkar and trainer Mrs. Shankari Das, the women slowly started to work as a group.
Gradually as the synergy built up, the women started enjoying the work. NEEV faced a hurdle
in registering the women as a separate legal entity as no form seemed legally feasible with just
five members. Ultimately, NEEV came up with a solution to form an SHG with 10 members of
the basti but with women of the paper packaging production unit as the office bearers. Ulti-
mately, an SHG by the name of NARI SHAKTI MAHILA SAMITI was formed and its bank ac-
count is due to be opened in nearby Canara Bank. The office bearers of the SHG are
President - Lakshmi Murmu, Secretary - Shivani, Treasurer - Chandni Karmakar
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
After the women gained proficiency in After that the women were trained in
making paper bags, NEEV decided to ex- making various kinds of handmade paper
pand the range of products that women stationary.
can make with paper.
The women were trained in making vari-
First of all NEEV decided to train the ous kinds of envelopes, visiting cards and
women in the making of gift boxes out of file folders. Experimentation is still going
hard board. These hard board boxes were on and more products are expected to
then covered with handmade paper and be added in future. NEEV can then help
converted to gift boxes. These gift boxes in marketing of these products.
were recently sold in the recently held
International Trade Fair, held in New
Delhi.

3. Page 3
TCPA PROJECT
MARKETING LINKAGES
Of the products manufactured by the make it more appealing for customers,
beneficiaries in the paper packaging unit while transforming the object from a
there is a ready demand for handmade mere utility product to an aesthetic
paper bags and gift boxes from NEEV craft work.
Herbal Handmade Soaps. NEEV’s soaps
unit requires about 500 gift boxes and NEEV is also experimenting with other
forms of paper like recycled paper and
200 handmade paper bags per month. paper mache for making innovative
In future, NEEV is also going to come products which catch the fancy of the
out with new designs of gift boxes modern and environmentally conscious
thereby increasing it ‘s range of product customer.
offerings. NEEV has links with the DRDA through
Apart from the demand generated by which it’s products can participate in
NEEV Soaps unit, NEEV is also trying to various melas across India.
create innovative methods of marketing
other products. On the anvil is setting Next year, the Assistant Development
up a NEEV handicrafts website wherein Commissioner of Handicrafts has af-
the various handmade paper stationary firmed that he would help the artisans
and paper craft items are going to be associated with NEEV in marketing and
product development through various
showcased for sale.
schemes.
NEEV is trying to do some value addi-
tions to handmade paper stationary to
Innovative Products Designed by NEEV for the packaging unit
LOOKING AHEAD
After initial training, marketing and innovation become the key factors that can ensure the sustainability of any enterprise. The
women also have to be further handheld till they are able to undertake other functions of enterprise management apart from pro-
duction, like purchase, inventory management, accounting and budgeting. The learning curve for all these activities, especially for
women from this strata is not very steep. They would require constant handholding from the NGO over an extended period of
time.
Nonetheless, a beginning has been made. There is a new sense of identity among the women and definitely this would go a long
way in preventing them from taking trafficking as a source of livelihood.
With it’s history of tireless innovation and sustained focus on marketing, NEEV shall find ways of keeping the enterprise alive in
years to come. As the world increasingly shifts to environmentally friendly packaging, the paper packaging unit of Nari Shakti Sa-
miti, SHG, has made a head-start !