Artisan Impact: Leather Craft, India
Most of our leather artisan partners belong to a social class called Chamar, which excludes them from other classes of society and severely limits their resources. About 30 families formed a development group to empower artisans, beginning with advanced tooling techniques. As a result, the caste stigma is gradually diminishing as artisans make economic and social progress. Housing, sanitation, and health care access have improved, and children are attending school. Through access to trade, the village was able to realize its dream of opening its first school for girls.