Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

Udupi : School of Communication (SOS), Manipal University in association with The Concerned For Working Children, CWC, Bangalore organized 13^th Annual Exhibition and sale of Handloom, Handicraft and Organic Products at School of Communication Press Corner, Manipal on Friday, 11^th Mar. 16.

Dr. Lena Ashok Coordinator of the MSW Programme Department of Public Health, Manipal University inaugurated the event with lighting the lamp. During in her inaugural address she said 13^th annual exhibition of Namma Angadi products in Manipal which will be appreciated. Namma Angadi is a collective marketing network for young traditional crafts persons of Karnataka who are ex-child workers. This is promoted by the Concerned for Working Children which appreciated.

The guest of Honour Mr. Damodhar Acharya Executive Director of CWC, Namma Angadi said that Namma Angadi was set up in 1992 to help village based craftsmen who could not visualize a future for their occupations in the village markets due to lack of raw materials and demand for traditional products. This led to large number of migrants, especially children who moved to urban areas in search of jobs and livelihood. The west made the idea of buying something made by a child. What’s wrong with that ? The Concerned for working which has been working the field of child labour for almost two decades began to assist rural artisans and ex-child workers to improve and upgrade their skills, produce new products in an innovative way and help them to locate raw materials so as to meet the demands of the market, within a short period groups of artisans were formed to address their issues from a common platform.

Dr. Nandini Lakshmikantha Director and Professor SOC, Manipal, Ms. Sowparnika Attavar Faculty Co-ordinator, SOC, Manipal, and other were present on the dais. Meghna Manjunath welcomed the gatherings and Karan compered the programme. Later Dr. Lena Ashok inaugurated the exhibition hall with cutting the ribbon.

Namma Angadi has a very diversified experience. This includes interventions from various experts, advanced training for graduate children, improved product desigbs, financial management and marketing.

The products are decorative items, jewellery cotton kurts, shirts, tops, caps, pure wild honey, soapnut powder, cocum, baskets and trays, Lavanche products, chappals, natural fertilizer, organic products, hand made paper products and many more.