Sal leaf plates were a regular in most villages and in most weddings in India. Then came the phase where plastic was in vogue. Now once again these plates are back in demand, thanks to its ecological and economical benefits. Oxfam India went a step ahead — not only did it set up leaf plate machines, it ensured that women ran them.
Oxfam India set up 14 leaf plate machines in Godda, Jharkhand. Out of these eight were leg-pressed models which were distributed in 2019-20 while six new hand-pressed models were distributed in 2020. Due to COVID-19 and lockdowns, five out of the six units became operational only from October. One such unit was in Kusmaha village where the women’s collective— Gulanjbaha Mahila Mandal—began operating it from 24 October 2020. It was outstanding that apart from the 15 women of the collective, others from village learnt to and started operating the unit.
It was a simple, mechanical process of converting the hand stitched plates into better finished products. Moreover, due to good quality Sal trees in these parts, the leaves were greener.
The product got them better price. One of the spokesperson of the collective explained, “Earlier, Kusmaha villagers used to sell one bhinda (20 handmade plates) for Rs 2 to petty traders. After the machine was set up, the collective offered a price of Rs 2.50 per bhinda and they have been more than happy to sell their handmade plates to the local women collective. After pressing and packing, the group can make a net profit of at least Rs 10 from one bhinda. The collective decides how they distribute the profits among its members.”
In less than a week, the women’s collective purchased around 5000 plates from villagers and converted them into finished products. The remarkable thing is that none of the 15 women in the core group of the collective are literate but this doesn’t take away from their resourcefulness.
There are next steps in the pipeline. “One unit of older model and one unit of newer model will be installed with our NGO partner Badlao. They have plans to organise and scale up the trade through a women’s federation. The federation is up and running. However, any woman/women group involved in the trade are free to join the federation and make it stronger,” explains Sandip Chowdhury, Project Officer - Access to Energy, Oxfam India.
The plans are to start production at the centre with two units—one for leaf bowl and one for leaf plate. Women from three neighbouring villages will come to the centre to make the plates and bowls while Badlao will help market these pressed plates.
Oxfam India’s Chief Executive Officer Amitabh Behar says, “When we brought these machines to the villages, it was because we saw a possibility of making women economically independent.
It is very rewarding to see how many women have become self-sufficient in the village now. We hope such initiatives will continue to build much needed resilience for the economically and socially marginalised sections of the society, especially women.”
The Oxfam Trailwalker challenge a much-loved and popular fund raising initiative, helps in funding such programs for more underserved citizens. The first edition of 2021's Virtual Trailwalker Challenge has been announced. Starting from 25th Feb to 6th Mar and 8th to 17th March 2021, the challenge is accessible to anyone who wants to participate and every joining contribution will help Oxfam India in their projects. This year, the walkathon’s theme is #WalkForHer, with the tagline, "Walk to end all discrimination against women."
