A business woman converts ‘waste into wealth’ in Assam | | India Natural Issues

New Delhi, India – At a time when the world is struggling with a lot of plastic waste and its environmental problems, a woman in northeastern Assam came up with a new idea to address the problem while helping poor women earn a living.

Rupjyoti Saikia Gogoi, 47, lives near Kaziranga National Park, the most popular tourist destination in Assam and the home of the one-horned rhinoceros, with the exception of elephants, tigers, rabbits, bears and exotic bird species.

In 1985, the park was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Gog and the women from his group, called Village Weave, pick up trash – plastic bottles, chips packs and water bottles – leftovers and guests, wash and dry by hand and make handicrafts from there.

Established in 2004, the business has helped empower more than 2300 women in 35 villages in Assam so far and reduce plastic pollution around the park.

“Kaziranga visits millions of tourists every year, many of them leaving a pile of garbage,” says Gogoi.

“Despite the ban on litter, there are plastic bags everywhere that are just as dangerous and dangerous to the animals that sting them.”

Gogoi Binod’s husband works as a wildlife rescue specialist and shares his concerns about the dangers of plastic waste to the environment and animals.

The two reportedly discussed the issue and “came up with a solution that had three functions – to deal with the waste, recycle it and empower local women”.

Gogoi says he tried it for months before he came up with a clever plan to use the waste wisely.

“At first, I just tried using plastic to make things. But it didn’t work. Then I tried other types of weapons. In the end, as soon as I mixed the plastic with cotton thread I was able to make a strong and durable fabric that was ideal for craftsmanship, ”he says.

Gogoi says she followed the simple learning methods she learned from her mother.

“Weaving is a well-known skill among Assam women, especially in the countryside. We have been trained for the job since I was six and seven years old and most families have women made of bamboo from bamboo that grows in the area in large numbers, “he explains.

Upon completion of the course, a self-taught artisan began sharing her knowledge with other women in Bocha Gaon village in Golaghat state.

The news spread and soon hundreds of women joined the network, making it a useful, effective nationwide one-year operation.

Today, hundreds of women make handbags, door handles, table mats, wall hangings, wall coverings, tablecloths, tea gloves, runners, and other items from plastic waste.

Their products are sold through Kaziranga Haat, a gift shop Gogoi set up in his village in 2012. During a long tour, women can make about $ 150-200 a month selling their products through the forum.

Over the past two decades, thousands of women have benefited from Gogoi’s efforts. And it is not just women.

“Families are often involved in garbage collection, handicrafts, and so on. For example, in my home, my husband, my in-laws, my brother and my mother all help me not only to weave, but also to advertise his business and other occupations. She takes care of my house when I go out for a walk, ”she says.

Gogoi is now being invited by state and local government agencies to hold workshops to educate rural women on how to turn waste into wealth.

“I have been to many parts of India such as Arunachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Delhi by invitation. I am very happy to be a coach,” he said.

But there are also challenges.

The epidemic has disrupted all trips while trampling on the tourist mountains in Kaziranga, which severely affected the group’s trade.

Gogoi says she currently relies on the money she earns from her small kitchen – Roop’s Kitchen – which she runs as part of a “deal to deal with problem”.

Gogoi is a guest at her cafe [Courtesy of Rupjyoti Saikia Gogoi]

The non-vegetarian restaurant, accommodating nine people, offers an Assamese Assamese restaurant with four local restaurants and a $ 3 loaf of bread.

There are other challenges that small artists like Gogoi face.

“We are fighting the old bullets and we need better technology and modern access to improve our quality and productivity. Foreign visitors really appreciate our business, which is why there are so many opportunities to sell and make a profit, ”he says.

“Although I have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have not heard anything from his office. There are also many local and state governments that also support artists like us, but they do not reach our villages.”

The businessman hopes that once the epidemic is over, these indigenous women will be able to regain their lives.

Among the many women who have benefited from Gogoi’s efforts is 35-year-old Debyani Sarkar, who began studying plastic weaving in 2015.

“I do repetition and weave in my spare time because I have three small children. It has helped me earn up to $ 150 a month, ”he told Al Jazeera.

“With my money, I can buy good food and books for my children at school. I hope that I will do the same after the coronavirus is gone. ”

(June 5 is commemorated annually as International Day)