UP’s Mirzapur goes global, handicrafts made by city’s self-help groups to be exhibited in Japan

New Delhi: The women Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Uttar Pradesh are setting new precedents of development and doing wonders, not just locally but globally. In a major milestone, the handicraft products made by them are set to be showcased in an exhibition in Japan.

Uttar Pradesh’s Mirzapur city, in particular, will feature in ‘Japan Carpet Fair’ as the latter will exhibit world-famous foot-mats and wall hangings made by women of Self-Help Group named ‘Gareeb Prerana Swayam Sahayta Samuh’ in Khajuri village of the city.

The Rugs and mats weaved by the local artisans in Mirzapur have already grabbed accolade from across the globe for its excellence. The local weavers amalgamate new perspectives on traditional crafts with state-of-the-art design technology to create authentic designs and visual masterpieces that will be now be displayed on a global platform. The stunning work is infused with vibrant colours and soft lustre.

The organisers of the fair were so impressed by the talents of these women that they invited the entire group to Japan and gave them an opportunity to sell their products at the Japan Carpet Fair which will be held in 2021.

Director of Poor Motivation Self-Help Group, Afsana Begum said, “The group is making the business of Rs. 2.5 lakh per year. The women have also started to sell wall hanging, foot mats, and show-pieces across the state which also benefitted the ODOP scheme launched by the Uttar Pradesh government.”

This is just one SHG. Thousands of such SHGs were created during Covid times to provide employment to women in Uttar Pradesh.

“The local weavers of the handicraft product here inherit the century old legacy, which should be sustained. We are consistently engaged in providing a platform to these women through various programs. Not only the group under the National Rural Livelihood Mission has made themselves financially stable but gave a major boost to the carpet business,” said Ramesh Priyadarshi, District Mission Director.

Earlier, the handicrafts of Mirzapur were also exhibited in Kashmir, Lucknow, and Hyderabad and it found strong connect with buyers.