Jackie McCosker, the face behind Saheli Designs. The Australian twenty-four year old has been working hard on the new brand Saheli Designs that only launched in August 2015. This social enterprise has changed many lives of girls and women in Bhikamkor, India. Here’s how it all started and what’s yet to come.
IRIS: What drove you to start up Saheli Designs?
Jackie: In 2014 I graduated and booked flights to India with no goal but to learn more about the realities of extreme poverty. Eventually, I found this amazing organisation called the Institute for Philanthropy and Humanitarian Development and signed up to do an internship with them. At first we decided to work off pre-existing knowledge about embroidery and stitching, but by the second week it became clear we needed to connect the women with an international audience to generate an income. What’s a better way to guarantee the future of a project then to follow through with it yourself?
That’s incredible! So tell us more about the background of Saheli Designs, what is your overall aim?
Our centre is a safe space where women from all walks of life can sit and work together in a safe and comfortable environment, earning a fair wage for their time. In India women are deliberately excluded from the workforce, and when they are lucky enough to get a job they earn 40% less for the same work. Because of the general lack of education and work opportunities, women don’t have an equal input into their home life. Most in rural areas are malnourished and go without essential healthcare because they feel they are unable to prioritise household funds for themselves. By working with Saheli Designs women are able to generate their own incomes and take charge of their own lives. We take in women of all ages, religions and castes, and together they are bringing their community together and elevating each other’s status. It’s more than just the money, it’s the social support. It’s particularly special to empower the widows of Bhikamkor, traditionally the most exiled group of all.
Is there anything we should keep an eye out for in the near future?
Keep an eye out for new stock coming in this month, and ongoing opportunities to volunteer with us in both Australia and India
Excellent, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled! I have to ask if this experience has affected you personally at all? Has it changed your perspective or how you go about your daily lifestyle choices?
Yes. Working in the village has had a very humbling effect on me. I’ve always tried to live ethically, but now I’m even more focused on limiting my consumerism. We have so much stuff in Australia, and we take it for granted. Running water? Luxury. Electric lights? Luxury. I’m trying to cut back my life to essentials only and be grateful for what I do have. The money I’ll save on living simply can be put back into travel and the business.I’m also really conscious of how we spend our money. Every dollar is a vote, and now I try to understand the story of every product I buy. Every object passes through so many hands and uses so many resources to get to us. I want to make sure the story of my possessions are good ones. I don’t want my consumerism to harm anyone any more.
Click onto https://www.etsy.com/shop/sahelidesigns to see the Saheli Designs for yourself!
Facebook Saheli Designs
Instagram @sahelidesigns
Love Jackie and her work! ❤️
