Women on Wings ran a two-day workshop in Delhi for the CEOs of the Community Owned Companies (COCs). These COCs supply products to Fabindia, one of the leading retailers in India, made by hand by artisans in rural India.
The workshop was aimed at contributing to the growth in turnover and positioning of the COCs and the personal development of the CEOs. As well as this, it gave shape to the further development of the involvement of many more artisans in the villages. It was aimed at increasing sustainable jobs and in doing so creating better living conditions for the village communities in rural areas.
The workshop was prepared in the Netherlands with experts Miranda Noordenbos and Matthijs Rosman and was held at the end of May in India by Ellen Tacoma and Ronald van het Hof. Theoretical and interactive tasks were alternated with short management games; encouraging participants to actively take part. As well as energy, passion and ambition within the groups, the workshop also delivered a number of refreshing business ideas, jointly thanks to the openness of the participants. The result: business and personal development plans per COC and per CEO. These will be worked on further in the coming months. The workshop was also the start of a further collaboration, wider than the 3 COCs with whom Women on Wings has worked up until now.
Fabindia’s Smita Mankad: “It was a very effective workshop and I really think we achieved more than expected. The discussions were very constructive and honest, and I’m sure what will finally emerge will be in everyone’s best interests. I am also delighted that Women on Wings continues to partner with us on this journey. “
The 18 CEOs who took part in the workshop, both men and women, supervise COCs that are part of AMFPL. AMFPL offers financial and consultancy services to these COCs and is part of Fabindia, India’s largest private platform for products made using traditional techniques, skills and hand-based processes. Fabindia links over 80,000 craft based rural artisans to modern urban markets.
