I. COVID-19 and the Informal Sector Presently, India is passing through the local transmission stage of the COVID-19 pandemic where SEWA’s informal sector workers are hardest hit among all. With no income for the daily wage earners, they fear hunger will kill us before the virus. The country is under a total lockdown with only […]
March 23, 2020 On behalf of 93.7 % of the workforce of the informal economy, we appreciate the prompt initiatives taken by the Central and State Governments to curtail the effects of COVID-19. In India, there are 50 crores poor and vulnerable informal workers who are daily wagers like contractual workers, casual workers, construction workers, agriculture workers, home-based workers especially in textile and garment manufacturing, beedi workers, self-employed workers […]
“Coming from a poor family, feeding my children was a daily challenge for me, so I never really dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur. But today, I am a proud social entrepreneur. I am a RUDIben, selling grains, spices, and other products to rural households. These products are produced by informal sector producers and small and […]
Manashi Pattayet is a 52-year-old fisherwoman living in Udaypur Village in the Balasore District of Odisha (PO- Bhograi, PS-Marine Talasari) with her husband Khagendra Pattayet and their four daughters and one son. Khagendra used to work as a fisherman, but due to old age, he was now unable to continue with this physically demanding occupation. […]
Surendranagar, India – For many people, salt is an ingredient without which a meal is tasteless and incomplete. But have we ever given a thought to the effort which goes into preparing this salt? In India, farmers spend eight months in the harsh salt pans in the Little Rann of Kutch braving the scorching rays […]
Rajasthan, India – The International Land Coalition (ILC) Asia, in which the Asian Farmers’ Association (AFA) is a member, conducted its annual regional land forum and regional assembly on 30 September to 4 October 2019 in Udaipur, Rajasthan, India. Among the matters discussed are the land forum for the national land issues in India, cross-cutting […]
Christen Narazary belongs to the tribal Bodo Community in Kharjaigun village of Sonapar District in India. She is a hardworking and intelligent woman who has been educated until Grade IV. She was married off to another community and has two daughters. Christen was a traditional weaver, but she found a job as a tailor in […]
Pabitra Sonari belongs to the Nepali Community in Changhai Village of Gahpur Block, Biswanath District in India. Prior to joining KVA, Pabitra carried out small activities to make money such as making pickles. But she always wanted to do better in life. Hence, once the KVA Centre was set up by SEWA, she became a […]
