Bloom
Bloom Maker Group live in the state of Tamil Nadu in Southern India. There are 9 members. They are all from the Irula Tribe and descend from the same family. Between them they have 19 children. The area in which they live is a famous tiger reserve and elephant corridor called Mudumalai Nature Reserve. They first trained to make Secret Pillows in December 2015 and they make our Camouflage range, some of which are sold locally by stockists in the Nilgiris, an area visited by tourists who flock to see the elephants and the beautiful scenery of the UNESCO world heritage site. Apart from Secret Pillow making, the only income-generating opportunities for the women is working for a daily wage in agricultural activities such as picking coffee beans and, when it is available, they are offered 6-week contracts to work on the roads filling pot holes after the monsoon. Both types of work are physically demanding and require them to walk long distances, spend time away from the home from early morning to late at night. The women are paid a maximum of 220 rupees a day (approximately £2.40) and they earn less then men doing the same job. They dream that, as a community, they can become excellent at making the different products sold by Secret Projects and they all dream of a better life for themselves and their children.