This is the most happening group at the farm. “Strijan” is our lovely Beejom women’s farmers collective. The members are women farmers from around our farm. They belong to the most impoverished section of the farming community. They have no land and are migrant farmers who have always tilled others' lands. They now farm in NCR far away from their villages on leased lands.
These beautiful, vibrant, talented and cheerful women have now come together and resolved to become entrepreneurs. They live in temporary homes that have a thick sheet of plastic and chatai for a roof. They live hand to mouth and work very hard to make ends meet in a world where the prices of all basic needs are the same for everyone. Yet they are bright and colourful; cheerful and affectionate and full of joyous laughter that tinkles like the bangles they wear.
Kesar, Mamta, Sarita, Daanwati and Dhanwati lead the team. In the two years we have worked together we have learnt a lot from each other. They are an amazing repository of handcraft. It comes to them easily and naturally. They can crochet and knit and embroider to perfection and copy any design. They have learnt to make newspaper bags, bin liners, vegetable bags, patchwork quilts, delicate doilies and lots and lots of other wonderful crafts.
We must not forget that all our folk dance and music, traditional crafts that vary from region to region; the traditional performing arts and the wonderful diversity of cuisines originate from our farming communities.
Under the banner of “Strijan”, they will market and sell their products and create their own businesses. Watch out for them because these products will soon be ONLINE. Please choose such products over others when you buy a gift. These handmade items are full of hopes and dreams and tons of hard work.
