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@craftherbyswara

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Feeling so humbled by this. Swara’s work has been added to the Alumni Section of the University of Oxford website and its looks great. #crafther #swara #universityofoxford #scholars #laidlawfoundation by @craftherbyswara
31
5 days ago
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CraftHER gives me hope. real hope. in a world that’s getting more and more divided, CraftHER brings together women from widly different worlds! from very different geographies, cultures, socio-economic backgrounds. A woman from a village in Kerala. A student from Oxford, Cambridge, or Columbia. Six weeks. Multiple workshop. Many conversations over snacks. This is what CraftHER looks like, and we’re getting ready for 2026. My team in Kerala has started preparations to welcome our next cohort of Laidlaw Scholars for six weeks of real, immersive, side-by-side work with women. Not a site visit. Not a panel discussion. Actual time. Together. And I keep coming back to why this matters so much right now. The world is fracturing. Faster than most of us want to admit. Along lines of class, culture, nationality, and lived experience. We talk about “bridging divides” but we spend almost no time in spaces that actually require us to do that. CraftHER is one of those spaces. Every year, something happens there that I can’t fully put into words. A scholar who has never left her university bubble sits with a woman who has spent thirty years perfecting a craft with her hands. And something shifts in both of them. That’s what gives me hope. Not the policy papers. Not the conferences. This. People from wildly different worlds, choosing to show up and be present with each other. If you’re building spaces like this, I’d love to hear about them. Getting Ready for CraftHER by Swara - Voice of Women 2026 with @preetha.anna @durgapvarma @swaravow. #womenleadership #kerala by @craftherbyswara
4
a month ago
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Meet Omana Soman 💪❤️ she picks up a saw 🪚 the way most people pick up a pen, like it's just second nature. Trained through Archana Women's Centre @archanajjpt in Ettumanoor, Kottayam, Omana became a professional carpenter and bamboo-construction expert in a trade almost nobody expected a woman to walk into. But she did. And she's good at it!! 🤯 That's the whole point of AWC 🙌 teaching women carpentry, masonry, fabrication, and every other skill the world used to call "men's work." Because it never really was. Watch her work. Then ask yourself why we ever thought this was unusual 🔨 #WomenWhoBuild #ArchanaWomensCentre #BreakingStereotypes #Kerala taken in Peroor Ettumanoor by @craftherbyswara
4
2 days ago
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Meet Geetha Unnikrishnan... Assistant Community Organiser at @archanajjpt 💪 A @mohanlal (super?) fan! 🎊🎇 AWC Archana Women's Centre, based in Ettumanoor, Kottayam, Kerala focuses on the holistic development of women through several activities 🙌 taken in Ayarkunnam, Kottayam by @craftherbyswara
4
2 days ago
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Today, we visited one of the AWC-funded food businesses, this one had been closed for seven months after the owner became seriously ill. Last week, she reopened her doors—a powerful reminder of resilience, determination, and the strength behind women-led enterprises. 💛 We rolled up our sleeves to help prepare some of the delicious snacks, and even took a few home while continuing to work on the final outputs for our mini consulting project, which we’ll be presenting tomorrow to Archana Women’s Centre. It’s been inspiring to see firsthand how the right support can help a women become independent entrepreneurs, and we’re excited to share our recommendations tomorrow! 🌿 taken in Kottayam by @craftherbyswara
0
3 days ago
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Meet Rosamma! 😁☝️ Rosamma is one of 17 million+ women in India's home-based workforce. Feeding our economy, quietly. She's part of Archana Women's Centre, Kerala 👉 @archanajjpt 🎊 Shop home-based, support women like Rosamma. taken in Ayarkunnam, Kottayam by @craftherbyswara
6
3 days ago
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Today’s visits gave us a firsthand look at the power of women-led enterprise and community support. 🌿✨ Our morning began at a local coir unit, where we rolled up our sleeves and had a go at making traditional coir rope! It was fascinating to learn about the craftsmanship/magic behind the process, but even more inspiring were the conversations we had with the women about their experiences of being self-employed, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the role Archana Women’s Centre (AWC) has played in supporting their livelihoods through training, funds, and collective empowerment. Later, we visited a local entrepreneur who turned a treasured family hair oil recipe into a thriving business. Using seed funding from AWC, she transformed her family’s generations-old herbal hair oil recipe into her very own enterprise. 🌱💚 Hearing how she built her business from the ground up was a powerful reminder that with the right support, ideas rooted in tradition can become sustainable futures. Every visit this week continues to show us that empowerment isn’t just about creating opportunities—it’s about giving women the confidence, resources, and community to build businesses, preserve traditions, and inspire the next generation. taken in Kottayam by @craftherbyswara
0
4 days ago
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Today was all about seeing the impact of women’s empowerment in action 🛠️✨ We had the privilege of visiting Omana Chechi at her carpentry workshop, where she introduced us to the machinery behind her craft and shared her incredible journey. Through the support of Archana Women’s Centre (AWC) and her own courage and strength, she has built not only a successful livelihood but also newfound confidence, independence, and opportunities. Her story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when women are given the tools and support to thrive. We also visited the community library run by AWC—a welcoming space that nurtures learning and curiosity. The afternoon brought us back to the AWC office, where we rolled up our sleeves and got to work on our project outputs. Working closely with the AWC team, we discussed their priorities and began shaping resources that reflect their vision and support their ongoing impact. Every conversation, every visit, and every story continues to reinforce why community-led initiatives like AWC are creating lasting change. We’re excited to keep learning, collaborating, and contributing throughout the week! ✨ taken in Kottayam by @craftherbyswara
2
4 days ago
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✨New Week, New People, New Stories to Hear ✨ After arriving on Sunday at the beautiful Akkara Homestay and enjoying a much-needed restful night, the CraftHER dream team woke up ready to dive into an incredible week with Archana Women’s Centre (AWC). AWC is an inspiring women-led organisation dedicated to empowering women through sustainable livelihoods, skills training, social enterprise, and community development. From creating employment opportunities to championing innovation and environmental sustainability, they’re proving that real change starts at the grassroots. 🌿✨ Our first day began with an introduction to AWC’s inspiring network of collectives and organisational structure, giving us a deeper understanding of the impact they’re making across the region. We then toured the AWC campus, exploring everything from the spice production unit and welding training centre to innovative ferrocement technology, water systems, and the lush gardens that support their sustainable approach. One of the day’s highlights was meeting Thresiamma, the visionary founder of AWC. Hearing the story of how the organisation began, the challenges overcome, and the exciting plans for its future left us feeling incredibly inspired. To wrap up an unforgettable first day, it was time to Take the Mic! 🎤 Each scholar delivered their own TED Talk-style presentation, sharing personal stories, passions, and reflections . It was the perfect way to reflect, connect, and kick off what promises to be an amazing week of learning, collaboration, and empowerment. by @craftherbyswara
4
6 days ago
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Day 17: Final outputs and goodbyes 🫂 The CraftHER Scholars presented their final consulting outputs at SEWA's Trivandrum office - the culmination of a week spent learning from the women who make up one of India's most respected movements for self-employed women workers. SEWA's decades of grassroots organising, advocacy, and economic empowerment work left a lasting impression on our scholars. Thank you for your generosity, patience, and expertise 🧡 by @craftherbyswara
3
7 days ago
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Thank you @sewa.kerala for hosting @craftherbyswara batch of 2026 🙏🤍💙 taken in Vilappilsala by @craftherbyswara
0
8 days ago
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Day 16: Stories & Handmade Paper at SEWA's Rural Centre 🌿📖 The CraftHER Scholars spent today at SEWA's Rural Centre, and it was one for the heart. 💛 The morning began with conversations with women trained by SEWA in specialised palliative care, including how SEWA's training has opened doors to skilled, dignified employment in a field that desperately needs compassionate care workers. A powerful reminder of what's possible when women are given the right skills and support to build meaningful careers. The afternoon brought a shift in texture: learning traditional paper making from SEWA's artisans, transforming natural fibres and pressed flowers into beautiful handmade notebooks and cards. Every sheet is a small act of sustainable craftsmanship, and every purchase supports the rural women who make it. 🌸📔 SEWA's Rural Centre shows what's possible when skills training meets creative enterprise - building women's livelihoods, one craft and one career at a time. 📍SEWA Noolidoyu, Vilappilsala by @craftherbyswara
3
10 days ago
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