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About Us
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Creative Handicrafts exists in Andheri, a northern suburb of Mumbai, India.
Between two stalls, a narrow alley leads through a mass of little houses with roofs
of corrugated iron sheets. The open front doors of these houses reveal in the half-dark
scenes fragments of family life just recognizable to European eyes.
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In a few of these structures, women are sitting on the floor embroidering fabrics
or making chapattis. These are the centres of the self-help groups of Creative Handicrafts,
a charitable organisation with a difference, a social enterprise based on the principles
of fair trade. In this place women of all ages and all of different religious backgrounds,
often married, separated or divorced find each other.
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They manufacture a variety of articles, embroidered or stitched, bags, tablecloth,
napkins, bedcovers, plush articles, decorative objects such as letter holders, wall
hangings, collections of dolls and of packed lunch pouches for sale at offices.
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Strongly committed to the fate of these women and determined to work with them to
organise themselves effectively, Sister Isabel found herself, back in 1984, with
her companion sisters in Shree Ganesh Krupa Colony, Jogeshwari East, very close
to Achanak Colony. Soon they befriended the slum dwellers and were able to identify
their shared common concerns and hopes for a better future. Over time it gradually
dawned upon them that the next step had to be action! ‘How can we help ourselves?’
The seed of hope and independence had been sown… Hidden talents were about to be
discovered. In a spirit of solidarity they began to learn the art of making soft
toys and soft furnishings for the home that could be sold.
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