Every day at the Bhoomika Activity and Skill Training Centre, the young women eagerly check a special notebook: it tracks the number of ties they’ve knotted for the day!
These young women, each with intellectual and developmental disabilities, use natural dyes to infuse color into both fabric and their lives. As part of the livelihood project run by PEAL Trust (People’s Education for Action and Liberation) in Madurai, they craft beautiful, natural-dyed products like lunch bags and pouches, which are showcased on Club Artizen.
Jeena David, the director of Bhoomika, who launched the project in 2018, shares, “They really enjoy watching those numbers grow. It’s not just about their earnings—it also helps them develop basic math and counting skills.”
Bhoomika provides training in natural dyeing to a dedicated group of 10 women with disabilities. An on-site tailoring unit assembles the finished products, with parents occasionally lending a hand to help complete them.
The centre offers a safe, supportive environment where the women also receive therapeutic support. Jeena, inspired by her personal experience with her sister’s Down syndrome, established Bhoomika to offer meaningful, income-generating activities for young women ready to embrace new skills.
“Our initial goal was to ensure each girl could earn at least Rs. 1000 a month,” Jeena explains. “Now, we’re able to reinvest some of our earnings back into the centre.”
Although the centre faced significant setbacks during the COVID pandemic, Jeena remains hopeful. She envisions that increased collaborations and outreach efforts will enable Bhoomika to expand, reach more women, and boost their incomes.
