How do you retain existing and even attract new weavers in remote areas of rural India allowing to simultaneously achieve the social goals and economic goals? That is the challenge for Jaipur Rugs: meeting the growing consumer demand for hand-knotted rugs by increasing the number of rural women working for and helped by Jaipur Rugs from 40.000 to 60.000 in the coming two years.
Experts Nicolette Biessels and Mark Roerdinkholder worked with Jaipur Rugs to flesh out several concrete issues to help communicate and brand the benefits of working for Jaipur Rugs. Part of this process involved interviewing all levels of the Jaipur Rugs organization; from the founder, to field visits with the weavers themselves.
Nicolette and Mark used the results of their research to draft a proposal on how Jaipur Rugs can improve their communication with the weavers. Jaipur Rugs was extremely pleased with the concrete and immediate actionable advice they received on how to keep applying the founder’s vision within a growing organization. For example picture-rich storybooks and benefit-cards for the many illiterate weavers. The positive stories in this book, obtained from all layers of the organization, explain why people enjoy working for the organization and why they believe other women will too.
Mr. Chaudhary, founder of Jaipur Rugs: “It was great to see the focused approach and commitment displayed by the experts from Women on Wings for taking the grassroot communication tool of Jaipur Rugs to the next level. The entire team benefited from the exercise and we look forward to the success”.
Agreements were made with the entire management team on how to coordinate and monitor progress from the Netherlands to ensure the continuity of the incentive and gross-root communication program.
In January 2013 Jaipur Rugs was announced as the winner of the ‘The Times of India- Social Impact Awards-2012’ under the Livelihood- Corporate Category, for providing livelihood opportunities for people living in remote distant areas mostly.
