Godavari Delta Women Lace Artisans Co-operative Cottage Industries Ltd., Narasapur

Aims & Objectives:

To impart technical training to members.
To encourage self-help mutual aid and Co-operation and strive hard for the betterment and uplift of the downtrodden members economically and socially.
To provide better wages and profits to the members.
To do all such acts as may be conducive to the betterment of the members.

We could not secure any financial assistance either from the All India Handicrafts Board, or from the Andhra Pradesh state Government in spite of our best efforts and endeavors going round their offices several times. We were disheartened and became inactive.

At last in 1983 we started our first business with Trade Aid, Christian Church, New Zealand, who were pleased to place an initial order for supplying handmade cotton lace goods worth Rs.8,750/- giving full amount in advance. They continued to co-operate with us placing the orders regularly. Our business gradually increased and we located another Alternative Trading Organization – Ofam Trading in Bicester, UK. They started placing orders with us and are continuing to do so. On account of their help our society is now able to do our business and our artisan members will never forget the help rendered by them.

Our being a coastal area we are subjected to frequent calamities like cyclone, gales, floods, heavy rains and also occasional tidal waves. During the unprecedented floods of August 1986 or area was completely inundated b the floodwaters of Godavari River. Most of our area was under a sheet of water for many days. There were much causality, not to speak of the loss of crops, cattle and collapse of houses. Our women artisans lost everything in the floods. Ever since the above floods, there have been successive cyclones, which are hitting us, very hard. The artisans have not so far recovered from the above loss. Our appeals to several charitable and philanthropic organizations have not yielded any fruitful results.

Being women folk we are looked down in the society as sub-human beings. There are certain taboos and customs, which are hindering the growth of women. Generally a male is treated as superior to female. People are illiterate and are very dogmatic. It is taboo to educate a girl. It is also taboo to arrange a marriage for her after attaining puberty. The evil of dowry system is rife and rampant in this area.