Anita Dongre Foundation opens a production unit in Palghar

Nearly 70 tribal women have been employed in a new tailoring unit in Jawhar town, Palghar district, as a part of a livelihood project by the Anita Dongre Foundation. The centre was inaugurated by Vishnu Savara, Cabinet Minister of Tribal Development in the State and designer Anita Dongre.

Jawhar, 140 km from Mumbai, is the last of Maharashtra’s tribal settlements. The area has been in the news for a steady rise in cases of malnutrition and infant deaths. The project provides employment to 70 women working on 50 machines. This number is set to double within the year to create livelihoods for 120 women on 100 machines.

Anita Dongre Foundation was set up to empower women, especially in rural India by taking jobs back to them and making villages independent economic centres. In Jawhar this effort has involved training women in the art of sewing, ironing, pattern cutting and so on to ensure economic independence through an accessible and dependable source of income. Besides the training these women, the project also provides a travel stipend to these women to maintain a comfortable and stress free work environment.

Founded in 1995 by Anita Dongre, Meena Sehra and Mukesh Sawlani, House of Anita Dongre is one of India’s leading fashion houses. The women, who are being trained in sewing, ironing, pattern cutting and so on, are also given a travel stipend. Dongre’s Global Desi brand will showcase products made by the women with special tags. The Foundation already runs a similar centre in Charoti, Palghar.