For those who know me well, I am at my happiest at home with a can of paint and something old to transform. Creativity and traveling are my two favourite vehicles of inspiration and expression. So it wasn't surprising that I was drawn to spend my days at SEDS’s business venture "Lilani" that comprises of all of the above. Lilani is a tailoring centre based at SEDS and produces incredible up-cycled, recycled and handmade clothing, accessories and homewares. It is run by Rashna (Manil and Rajen’s daughter) and employs 5-6 individuals from the surrounding areas as well as outsources work to people in their own homes.
Lilani provides an alternate means of livelihood and income for the rural agrarian people of Anantapur District. By building on self-confidence through employment and vocational training, individuals may use their acquired skills to some financial and independent benefit to ultimately become self-reliant. Rashna and I are in discussion around ideas on Lilani’s growth and development that will ultimately generate much-needed funds for SEDS that can be sustainable, eventually breaking some dependency on foreign aid.
There is something special about adorning yourself and your home with pieces that have been hand-stitched and woven with love from afar. I have had the privilege over the last week of working with some amazing rural artisans. I have seen first hand groups of women and men whom gather sitting cross legged sharing laughter and stories sipping on masala chai while working their creative magic into each thread. There is such an energy buzz here and it’s inspired me immensely. In preparation for Lilani’s market stall at The Green Bazaar I made a sign out of salvaged materials from the farm. Rajen has given me free reign to rummage the farm for materials to up-cycle, quite like my personal playground of rustic tools and materials. I also made a big dream catcher out of an old wooden hula hoop, its colours inspired by the amazing Indian scrap fabrics that were at my disposal and its end result has generated some interest in holding a workshop in the local village.
The Green Bazaar was held on Sunday in Bangalore and is a collective hub of individuals celebrating eco-friendly living- from DIY up-cycling workshops to composting demonstrations. It’s a bi-monthly event and its theme this month was “Let’s Recycle”. It is not hard to notice the piles of general mixed waste that accumulates in random pockets in the city and in the villages. We are really blessed to have a waste management system in Australia that is all done for us we just need to separate our materials into the different bins provided. Here however it is reliant on personal agency to act and unfortunately with millions of people in Bangalore alone it is a challenge to manage this without governance or social order. Therefore it was evidently reinforced among the younger people present at The Green Bazaar that a change in their attitudes and behaviours of waste management is necessary as they are the future leaders of India.
Lilani’s stall at The Green Bazaar marketplace was a great success. It showcased a range of eclectic handmade and up-cycled fabric bags, rugs baskets, yoga mat bags, cushion covers, beanbags and more. Demonstrating the art of utilising locally available resources such as fabrics and materials to create new products. It was also a chance to promote Lilani and SEDS and raise awareness of its sustainability ventures including its “Eco-tourism” farm stay, which already attracts many a weary souls from the cities to rest and rejuvenate while also learning about the rural lifestyle and its benefits. Fundamentally this day for me represented the art and benefits of living self-sufficiently. It demonstrated a community banding together with a common goal to raise the consciousness of individuals to adopt sustainable living practices, which in affect has social impact to inspire a new way of thinking and make lifestyle changes.
“In order to make progress or to do anything a man [sic] must awake from his sleep. A community must likewise awaken from the sleep of backwardness, of living day-to-day without concern for the future.” ~ Bogaert
Lilani provides an alternate means of livelihood and income for the rural agrarian people of Anantapur District. By building on self-confidence through employment and vocational training, individuals may use their acquired skills to some financial and independent benefit to ultimately become self-reliant. Rashna and I are in discussion around ideas on Lilani’s growth and development that will ultimately generate much-needed funds for SEDS that can be sustainable, eventually breaking some dependency on foreign aid.
There is something special about adorning yourself and your home with pieces that have been hand-stitched and woven with love from afar. I have had the privilege over the last week of working with some amazing rural artisans. I have seen first hand groups of women and men whom gather sitting cross legged sharing laughter and stories sipping on masala chai while working their creative magic into each thread. There is such an energy buzz here and it’s inspired me immensely. In preparation for Lilani’s market stall at The Green Bazaar I made a sign out of salvaged materials from the farm. Rajen has given me free reign to rummage the farm for materials to up-cycle, quite like my personal playground of rustic tools and materials. I also made a big dream catcher out of an old wooden hula hoop, its colours inspired by the amazing Indian scrap fabrics that were at my disposal and its end result has generated some interest in holding a workshop in the local village.
The Green Bazaar was held on Sunday in Bangalore and is a collective hub of individuals celebrating eco-friendly living- from DIY up-cycling workshops to composting demonstrations. It’s a bi-monthly event and its theme this month was “Let’s Recycle”. It is not hard to notice the piles of general mixed waste that accumulates in random pockets in the city and in the villages. We are really blessed to have a waste management system in Australia that is all done for us we just need to separate our materials into the different bins provided. Here however it is reliant on personal agency to act and unfortunately with millions of people in Bangalore alone it is a challenge to manage this without governance or social order. Therefore it was evidently reinforced among the younger people present at The Green Bazaar that a change in their attitudes and behaviours of waste management is necessary as they are the future leaders of India.
Lilani’s stall at The Green Bazaar marketplace was a great success. It showcased a range of eclectic handmade and up-cycled fabric bags, rugs baskets, yoga mat bags, cushion covers, beanbags and more. Demonstrating the art of utilising locally available resources such as fabrics and materials to create new products. It was also a chance to promote Lilani and SEDS and raise awareness of its sustainability ventures including its “Eco-tourism” farm stay, which already attracts many a weary souls from the cities to rest and rejuvenate while also learning about the rural lifestyle and its benefits. Fundamentally this day for me represented the art and benefits of living self-sufficiently. It demonstrated a community banding together with a common goal to raise the consciousness of individuals to adopt sustainable living practices, which in affect has social impact to inspire a new way of thinking and make lifestyle changes.
“In order to make progress or to do anything a man [sic] must awake from his sleep. A community must likewise awaken from the sleep of backwardness, of living day-to-day without concern for the future.” ~ Bogaert
Photo Courtesy: Natalie Owens
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