by Shailesh Parmar for BISMumbai

Gujarat Livelihood Promotion Company organized SARAS (Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society) fair to provide rural SHG women artisans market space to sell their products. It is the 1st time DRISTI Don Bosco SHG participated in this fair.

The District Livelihood Manager invited applications from SHGs to participate in 10 days’ fair from 04 March to 14 March. It was held at the Ahmedabad ‘River Front’. DRISTI's 03 SHGs applied but after state level scrutiny process, only one ‘Chamunda SHG of Dana village, Kapadwanj Block was selected. Ramilaben and her husband Babubhai participated at the fair. GLPC provided the stall and residential facility free of cost.

DRISTI provided all the hand holding support like vehicle to ferry material in the first day and last day. One of the DRISTI staff stayed with them for the first 24 hours to assist them in registration and allocation of stall. DRISTI also visited 04 times within 10 days and encouraged them, making available the other SHG products at the stall. Towels, badsheets, pillow covers, cotton bags, etc., were sold. The average daily selling was Rs.1000 with a profit of Rs. 3316.

DRISTI has opened up one more possibility of developing business, and hopes to encourage people to participate in local fairs in future.