Seva Mandir – Sadhna: From a Welfare Organization to a Business Activity
A non-profit organization established in 1968 in Udaipur, Seva Mandir’s mission is to make real the idea of a society of free and equal citizens, who are able to come together and solve the problems that affect them in their particular contexts
SADHNA at a Glance
S adhna, ‘a women’s handicraft enterprise’, was registered as a Mutual Benefit Trust on 10 December 2004, with each member contributing Rs 32,500 as their initial non-refundable capital. It has a membership of 639 women artisans belonging to Udaipur district in south Rajasthan. Sadhna’s objective is to create a sustainable and independent world for its artisan members by providing them with continuous work and a regular source of income. Its product range comprises appliqué and tanka (thread work) products such as furnishings, apparel and accessories, which are sold through multiple channels, including its own retail outlet in Udaipur. Its annual turnover has increased three-fold since its registration to Rs 1.96 crores in 2010. Sadhna is headed by a CEO, supported by a 20-member staff and a 46-member Management Committee, comprising leaders of artisans groups.
The Evolution Of SADHNA
Seva Mandir began its work in the field of adult education before expanding into other sectors. In response to continuous demands from its target community, Seva Mandir initiated income-generation activities (IGAs) under its women and child development (WCD) programme, to supplement household incomes during the drought in the early 1980s. These IGAs were in the areas of weaving, poultry, backyard farming and hosiery, with a charity orientation rather than achieving financial viability. Because of a variety of internal problems in the operations and external problems in promoting co-operatives, in 1987, Seva Mandir decided to visit some successful organizations in Gujarat and learn from their experience of IGAs. After considering various options including tailoring, block printing and food processing, it finally chose to take up patchwork activity because it didn’t require much investment and it would be easy for women to work from home.