Blossom
Blossom Maker Group live in Kozhikode, a coastal city in the state of Kerala in Southern India. The Maker Group meet in a community centre located 4 to 5 kilometres away from where most of the women live, which gives them an accessible area to sew and train as a group. They only pay rent on the building when they use it which makes the project more economical for them. The group has other income-generating activities such as making umbrellas, jewellery, and ornaments. They want to work towards having a more focused sales strategy so that they are not left in a vulnerable position in terms of earning money. When we ask them about the challenges faced by women in their area they say that there is an increasing number of family breakdowns exacerbated by the issue of alcoholism, leaving many women and children abandoned. Single mothers live with the pressure of earning a living and providing for their children. They are working towards their Maker Group becoming a reputable company and helping others, especially those within their community. For instance, by giving a percentage of their earnings to older couple who have no family to support them.