Marketing Support to Rural Artisans & Entrepreneurs
From the year 1997 onwards, Magan Sangrahalaya Samiti has been organizing a popular week-long exposition called ‘Wardha Wardhan’. Over 100 institutions including Gandhian organizations, appropriate technology centers, innovators, artisans, artists, environmentalists, animal lovers, alternative therapists, organic farmers, educationists, Women Self Help Groups, and institutions involved in Khadi and rural industries participate in this exposition.
The Wardha Wardhan exposition provides a golden opportunity to rural enterprises to showcase and market their products. This exposition also acts as a training ground for these enterprises to learn cooperation, collective working, management, and marketing skills.
Through this exposition, more than 50,000 people and thousands of school children get exposed to various organic products, constructive works, artisanal skills, alternative technologies, innovations, folk cart & culture, literature, campaigns, etc.
Marketing by Self Help Groups
The products manufactured by the rural women enterprises are marketed through the shops run by MSS in Wardha, Sewagram, and Seloo village. Some products are sold through 25 small household shops run by Self Help Group Members. The SHGs also get an opportunity to sell these products in Govt. organized fairs and exhibitions.
Political Empowerment of Rural Women
Through various grass-root programs and initiatives, the women Self Help Group members were politically empowered. As a result, 21 women SHG members have been elected as Sarpanch, Gram Panchayat Member (Member of Village Council) and Zilla Parishad Member (Member of District Council). Some have been appointed by the District Rural Development Authority as field officers.
