Reviving traditional weaving practices; a crusader for the voiceless, and more: Our top stories of the week

Reviving traditional weaving with DIY handloom kits

In 2017, Kalaiyarasi Ramachandran was in her village of Salangapalayam in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, to deliver her second child when she noticed the startling socio-economic conditions in her community.

Hailing from a weaving family—though her father had transitioned to the power loom many years ago—Ramachandran discovered the number of handlooms in her village had dwindled from 7,500 to 2,500. She travelled across Tamil Nadu and discovered that weavers were earning as little as Rs 5,000 a month.

This led her to start Raatai during the COVID-19 pandemic—a venture that began with five looms in her home in Salangapalayam and seven more in the village for other weavers.

Read more about her work here. 

On a mission to save all canines

Ever since he was a nine-year-old kid, cybersecurity specialist Haris Ali’s heart has always been full of love for animals. He would feed and take care of the dogs in his neighbourhood.

Tragically, he saw one of the pups he would care for gruesomely beaten to death by locals, which left him scarred at a young age and tied him to a lifelong commitment to animal welfare.

In 2017, he, along with Madhumita Sahu, started the Sarvoham Animal Foundation, a charitable organisation dedicated to the welfare of street animals.

Today, it is home to over 2,500 dogs, many of whom are disabled, ailing, and terminally ill. With a crowdfunding campaign, team Sarvoham plans to move to a bigger space with better facilities.

Read more about her work here.

A startup’s mission to enable robust corporate policies

Started in 2021, Beyond Sustainability helps manufacturing companies and large corporations achieve high standards in environmental, social, and governance development.

The startup conducts baseline studies, devises action plans, sets targets, and offers advisory services, fostering environmental, social, and governance awareness. 

It also conducts online and offline awareness workshops on capacity development, carbon management, ESG management, and climate change awareness. 

So far, it has reached 4,050 people through these awareness sessions. The startup has worked with more than 50 companies, including ABB Mobility, Raj Petro, SRG Apparels, CII, and more.