“The connection I felt to these ladies is just what I needed to stay motivated in these tough times. We formed a sisterhood” Today’s woman dreamer, Manvee Vaid is a dedicated social entrepreneur, empowering women across India’s vast artisan community. Artisans are the backbone of India’s non-farm rural economy, and the workforce is primarily made up of women. They faced significant challenges during Covid-19 that many of us aren’t aware from. from lack of raw materials to lockdowns and closures of factories. Manvee’s mission is to bring a voice to these women, who carry India’s rich history and tradition through their work. In this inspiring interview, Manvee shares her exciting journey as a social entrepreneur, and her passion for building community.

1. What inspired Terraklay and your interest in empowering India's women artisan community? 

Early 2020 with the pandemic in full force and many out of work for the foreseeable future, the world focused only on the essentials. So, the panic buying began and toilet paper shortages ensued, and many small businesses struggled to stay afloat — mine included. I almost closed down TerraKlay.

Taking all my newfound free time, I began to rebrand and restructure TerraKlay. The biggest change? I extended my connection to more women artisans across rural India. The aforementioned shift towards the “essentials” in the global economy did not take artisan livelihood into consideration. Artisans are the backbone of India's non-farm rural economy. Behind agriculture, handicraft is the second largest employed industry — a workforce primarily made up of women. So, naturally, when artisans suffered, it meant that women suffered. Not only do artisans play a major role in India’s economy, but also carry forward the rich and diverse history of India. The style and techniques that have been integrated in these handicrafts tell the stories of their culture and ancestors. Artisans have upheld family traditions by passing down their nuanced crafting skills for generations and take great pride in doing so. 

In the year 2020, the problems that this unorganized artisan sector faced in practicing their craft came to a head. Even before the pandemic, many artisans had a hard time securing sales, one reason being market’s favoring large-scale production business. COVID-19 quickly exacerbated these already present challenges: a complete shortage of raw materials due to closure of factories, broken supply chain, curfews and lockdowns and artisans suffered a loss of both local and international orders. Many lived through periods of no food and no work, all while struggling and fearing death by this mysterious and dangerous virus. 

2. What inspired you to be a social entrepreneur? What are your tips for other social entrepreneurs?

Honestly when I started TerraKlay in 2016 I  just wanted to bring some great designs and craft traditions to a wider audience. I was clear that the artisans needed to be a part of the story and be seen. I decided to name our products after each women artisan who crafts them simply because it creates a world of good. Their product name gives them a seat at the table to be partners. I had no idea a term like social entrepreneur existed. I wanted to do good and support the  artisan community in some way and form. Working with many indigenous artists and artisans, one thing became clear: the unorganized sector in India faces significant challenges in terms of training, obtaining raw materials, securing loans, and marketing their skills or products. 

Lessons and Tips Include:  

Listen - most of the times the best teachers are the people you work with. In my case, there are always opportunities to learn and improve, both with the artisans I work with and with the customers I serve.

Fear is not a bad thing - When confronted with something outside of your comfort zone, doubt and fear will teach you to either drown or swim. It's a great way to see how much you can handle.

Collaborate - I realized that I had a lot to learn. Collaborating with different artisan groups who were experts in their field allowed for better product designs and solutions. 

Keep Good Company - Surround yourself with mentors and advisors. Seek advise and get challenged in your decisions. Its helps to avoid huge mistakes. 

3. What was the most rewarding part of running Terraklay? How did you build your sisterhood and relationship with the women?  

Redesigning what TerraKlay can offer was both exciting and intimidating. It all started with a small group of women in North India who traditional handloom wool textiles. Introduction emails led to phone calls. Many hours of phone calls led to developing product samples. Feeling hopeful, I reached out to more women artisans groups. Before I knew it, I built up a network of connections from different regions in India skilled in different crafts; from basket weaving, to organic cotton production to deep understanding of organic dyes. A huge focus of the collaboration is on sustainability committing on processes that conserve resources. Days led to months, brainstorming ideas to cohesively present their work for a collection in home goods for TerraKlay and figuring ways in which TerraKlay could be beneficial in reaching consumers for these artisans. Together, we created something we could look forward to on the days where social distancing felt a little lonelier than usual. 

What started out as work calls turned into deep conversations where I exchanged family stories, big ideas and life aspirations with these women. It was at that moment that TerraKlay became more than a company; TerraKlay became a community. The connection I felt to these ladies is just what I needed to stay motivated in these tough times. We formed a sisterhood. All of it made me realize that miles are only a measurement, and it is possible to connect no matter the distance. (Of course, as long as you’re willing to work with time differences!)  

4. This is truly amazing. How can people get involved? 

The success of our work depends on the number of people we reach so follow us on  Instagram @terraklay , Facebook - www.facebook.com/TerraKlay and sign up for our newsletter on www.TerraKlay.com Share and help spread the word about our work and our handmade products. We are also looking for interns who can help with our marketing efforts so please reach out if you have a way with words that can convey our message and story. 

5. As the platform for women dreamers, What is your next big dream?

2021 been an exciting year. We made mistakes, learnt from them and made changes. We continue to explore designs and products for homes which are sustainable, ethical and good for the planet and people. We also hope to employ more artisans either part time or full time as we grow our business. It would be good to see more women artisans changing lives, feeling empowered and making a difference. What a beautiful picture that paints! 

Check out some of Terraklay’s amazing work!

Bio - Manvee is a social entrepreneur and founder of TerraKlay, working with artisan communities in rural India for a decade bringing extensive understanding of indigenous arts and crafts to wider audiences through online platforms and channels. She lives in Chicago, IL with her family and her dog Maya. 

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