Women’s Bazaar gives struggling female entrepreneurs a platform

CHENNAI: Mask firmly in place, Sudha Lakshminarayanan stands behind her stall in

CP Art Centre

in Chennai, showing Bengal cotton sarees, kantha work blouse pieces and sari petticoats to the visitors who drop in.

“This is the first event that I am participating in after a gap of one year,” says the 70-year-old. “I have been sourcing my products from Kolkata and selling it at exhibitions for the last 25 years. But once the pandemic broke out, I was unable to sell anything.”

Sudha is one of the 35 woman entrepreneurs who are participating in the 28th edition of the annual

Women’s Bazaar

conducted by C P Art Centre, which showcases textiles, jewellery, arts and crafts and food items made and marketed by women. For most of them, whose livelihoods were badly hit during the pandemic, this is the first time they have stepped out of their homes to sell their products in a public space;

“My husband is 73 and still earns but I also need to have an income so that we can support ourselves in the future also,” says Sudha. “Anyway, I have got my Covid-19 vaccination, so I felt brave enough to venture out.”

Nanditha Krishna, president,

C P Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation

, says they began conducting the Women’s Bazaar in order to give women entrepreneurs a platform. “We believe women’s empowerment comes through economic independence, so we also train them in vocational skills,” she says.

Organising the Bazaar this year has been tough, says K Shantha, executive officer, CP Art Centre. “Usually, we have about 55 woman participants. But many women were scared to come out due to fear of contracting coronavirus. Also, we are following all safety protocol and ensuring there is social distancing so we have fewer stalls,” she says.

Many of the women have been struggling to eke a livelihood during the pandemic. “There were no weddings or events so we began making masks and cloth bags. I have five employees and struggled to pay even half their wages,” says Niraimathi G, who has a small factory in Adyar manufacturing jute products. “Usually people call us for gift bags and other such items. Now, though weddings have been taking place, we no longer get corporate orders or conferences so we are still struggling.”

Many, who are not tech-savvy, haven’t figured out how to sell their products online. “I usually make Rs 3,000 to Rs 5,000 per day at exhibitions but the last one year I had no business,” says A Haridra, 62, who sells handmade jewellery. “I don’t know how to sell online.”

Even those who have managed say the business has not been good. “I did sell online but couldn’t make as much as I do at exhibitions,” says Priyadarshini R, who sources and sells antique finish and handmade jewellery.

Mallika M, who also sells jewellery, says having a WhatsApp group for customers helped. “My group has 200 members. During the first four months of the pandemic, I was unable to sell anything but later it picked up a bit,” she says.

The Women's Bazaar is on till March 14.