Sharing its successes with its shareholders was a major part of the 9th Annual Meeting of Women on Wings’ business partner Rangsutra. Over 400 of the in total 1,700 artisan shareholders were able to join the meeting on July 25, 2015 in Bikaner, Rajasthan.
Domestic and international appreciation for handmade
Rangsutra looks back at a successful year 2014-2015. It saw a growth in revenue and a raise in the number of customers. A continuous good relation with retailer Fabindia in the Indian domestic market and IKEA in home furnishing for the European market is part of the growth at Rangsutra. Next to that, Rangsutra now runs a permanent stall at Kisan Haat’s Nature Bazaar, an open air marketing place for handicraft retailers. Sales at Kisan Haat are successful which underlines the appreciation of customers for the handmade products of Rangsutra.
From fieldworker to member of the board
The successful business of Rangsutra resulted in a good dividend for its artisans/shareholders. At the Annual Meeting they got their dividend paid: Rangsutra’s banker worked over time to draw cheques for all the artisans. Pushpa Purohit, one of the board members of Rangsutra, inspired the other women by sharing her story on stage: “I started as a fieldworker, and then led the income generation hand embroider project in URMUL. Now I am on the board of Rangsutra. Just believe in your own strength, then you can realize much more than you thought was possible!”
Profits create better livelihoods
Women on Wings and Rangsutra started collaborating in 2008 when Rangsutra had 900 female shareholders. Today there are 1,700 shareholders, of which 70% are women. Rangsutra’s core value is respect for both the producer and customer. They ensure a fair price to the producer as well as quality products to the customer. Since the artisans are shareholders of the company, profits earned from sales go back to them to ensure a better life for their families and communities.
Pushpa Purohit is seen right in the photograph
