Artisan Story
Meet Saima Khatoo (pictured above), who is 26 years old and married with 3 children. She comes from a village in Katihar, India and is one of the six artisans who produce this beautiful turquoise jewelry in a fair-trade workshop in Delhi. The artisans receive fair-trade wages which enable them to support their families and send their children to school. Their next step is to be able to provide adequate medical care for their families.
The artisans say that working with companies that buy fair-trade items has given them more experience to develop innovative designs while working their way out of poverty. Continued support is the key to helping them become independent and not worry about the next meal or how they are going to buy school supplies.
These talented artisans carefully select materials available to them in Delhi, India, making sure that they are nickel-free and will last a long time. They use their skill to create modern style jewelry with craftsmanship that has been passed down for generations.
Artisans like Saima are supported by an organization in India that believes and practices fair-trade principles. The majority of them are women artisans who benefit from the fact that they can work from home and maintain their responsibilities for children and their household. When possible, education and medical treatment for artisans and their families is provided. As the business becomes more self-sufficient, new groups are taken on. So far, 20 artisan workshops have become independent since 1986.
