The Story of the Siddi Community and their Quilting Legacy
Amrapari (We Can) is a women’s collective established during the COVID-19 pandemic to create sustainable livelihoods for char-chapori women in Assam. These women, many of whom were daily wage earners working in fisheries, agriculture, and brick kilns, found themselves suddenly without work due to the lockdown. Their marginalised condition was further exacerbated by severe food insecurity, compounded by multiple spates of floods. The collective was founded by Manjuwara Mullah, a women’s rights activist and longtime community worker in Assam’s Barpeta district. Amrapari aims to support women’s empowerment and economic self-sufficiency by assisting them in creating and selling embroidered quilts, a traditional craft of the char-chapori women.
Amrapari’s objectives are centered on gender justice, economic security, and sustainable livelihoods, offering a platform for these women to showcase their talents and skills. The collective believes that economic independence is crucial to effecting meaningful change in the lives of women. Over the past two years, Amrapari has worked extensively with skilled women, embarking on a journey to bring the beauty of Kantha stitch and its cultural dynamicity to the mainstream.
Through Amrapari, Manjuwara Mullah and her team have successfully empowered these women, not only rescuing them from economic hardship but also instilling in them a sense of self-confidence and respect. This initiative has enabled them to overcome hesitation and proudly showcase the heritage linked to Kantha stitching, and learning how to create products that are rooted in tradition but have a modern, chic touch to them. The enthusiasm with which the women embraced this idea has been instrumental in the collective’s success, marking the completion of two years of impactful work.
At the Digital Artisans of India Award 2023-24, Manjuwara Mullah was recognised with the first prize due to her attempt to merge digital with her craft, create a cadre of women entrepreneurs through the means of digital and connecting them to global marketplaces such as USA, UK and Netherlands, bringing the beauty of Kantha craft to a global audience.
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