Women who deal with work in the field of craft work in the village of Agani in the village, operated by Valanada Sustainable Agriculture Producer Company. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
In a modest training hall in the village of Agani near Srkazhi, women sit with their feet crossed, their fingers gently folded strips of dried palm leaf. There is no humming of the machinery, no urgency in the air – just a quiet concentration and occasional shared laughter. It is not a factory or a shopping center, but something more rare: a place where rural women, many of whom fight domestic problems, find focus, community and relief.
The initiative is led by Valanad Sustainable Agriculture Producer Company, a female agricultural company supported by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development.
Since the launch of the training program with fuel sheets, the company has attracted women from all over Srkazhi taluku-in the household, agricultural workers and informal workers aged 18 to 50 years-not only skills but also emotional space, said its CEO Subhashini Sridhar.
“The original idea was to help women add their income through palm-based products such as bin, wreaths, bindings, earrings and phones.
“Many women come from households affected by alcoholism and stress,” said K. Malathi, a coach who leads the sessions next to G. Parvathha. “Some are discouraged from leaving their house. But as soon as they start working with palm leaves, they feel calmer. Therefore they stay.”
The training is modest – for every two months about 30 women can start at a dose, but only those who are really interested are continuing. About 20 persists. Either they come to the center or take the materials home, work at their own pace. Although sales sometimes become in the temple stalls, especially near Vaitheeswarean Koil and Thirukkadaiyur, the group earns little. The company plans to set up stalls at all temple festivals in the area.
Rajeshwari V., an agricultural worker from the village of Aachapuram, said, “My husband rarely comes home. I felt like I was breaking from the inside. Now that I do this work I feel peaceful.
Others reflect the same feeling. “You can’t do this job if you are angry,” Subathra S. said from the village of Nanthiyanallur. “Your mind must be calm. This is how we teach us to be calm,” she added.
Participants claim that work creates not only skills but also solidarity. The boundaries of caste and villages dissolve over the shared vessel. “We are sitting together and talking. This in itself is a kind of recovery,” said Priyadharshini from Agani.
The company hopes to one day become a full -fledged cooperative. For the time being, however, it acts as a quiet system of support – gives women a sense of purpose, creative outlet and emotional relief.
Published – June 25, 2025 23:53
