The increasing number of farmer suicides in Punjab in the last few years has forced women to step in and provide for their families. According to a News18 report, the women of Moonak, Punjab have taken up the local tradition of Phulkari - a style of embroidery - and are practicing it in order to live a life of dignity.
Amidst the pandemic, these women are making Phulkari masks.
While they do have the support of a Delhi-based social worker Ghazala Khan, who helped these Moonak women turn their skill into a profitable and sustainable business venture, they've had to face challenges.
When the women started out, they did not have a physical space to work out of. Speaking to News18, Ghazal explained that despite sincere efforts, they did not have enough funds to purchase land. So Ghazala reached out to ten different Gurudwaras in the village. The response was heartwarming.
The Gurudwara authorities happily allotted free land for these women to continue their work.
The Gurudwaras have also gone above and beyond by offering to provide the women with one-time meals.
The women of Moonak are backed by Building Bridges India (BBI) - an NGO that works with poor families in rural Punjab. BBI helps in procurement of raw material. For a mask, this includes thread, rubber, and fabric. The women, almost 300 in number, then make masks that are being sold across the world.
(With inputs from News18)
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