Mohammad Ausaf is a native of Saharanpur, a small city in the state of Uttar Pradesh in North India. While his father was a teacher, Ausaf became interested in working with wood and eventually becoming a wood carver. He learned woodwork as an apprentice with a local wood worker after completing high-schooling.

In 1994, Ausaf started Ziya Handicrafts with a few friends, all the while juggling college with work. His dedication bore fruit and four years later, in 1998, Ausaf was in a position to expand his business to include iron items as well.

Presently he has six artisans working with iron and four artisans working with wood. MyMela’s loan will help him purchase more raw materials to scale up his production without having to pay the exorbitant interest rates moneylenders charge. His range of products include antique candle stands, wind chimes, coasters and furniture pieces, all of which are much sought after by his clientele.

"The advantage of working together is that everyone grows together."

R.C.Marble was started by three brothers Ramesh Chand, Deep Chand and Chotelal in the historical city of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Agra was once the capital of the powerful Mughal empire and as a result its architecture and decorative arts reflect the style and culture of that dynasty. Its greatest contributions to the handicraft industry of this region was the intricate techniques of ‘jali’ carving and inlay work using semi-precious stones on marble.

Carrying this tradition forward, the three Chand brothers started R.C.Marble which specialises in hand-carved jali work on a variety of stones including marble, gorarastone, palewa and blackstone. Their work also includes beautiful marble inlay.

Chotelal currently manages the everyday functioning of R.C.Marble. He was mentored by his eldest brother Ramesh, before taking over the reins from him. At any point in time, he has 15-20 artisans working for him. Chotelal reminisces about the time when Agra’s hand-carved products were in much demand. Because the work involves a highly skilled process requiring artistic talent, artisans specializing in this trade are hard to find. Simultaneously, with machine made products making inroads into the handicraft business, Chotelal is witnessing a decline in the demand for such products as well.

Often, Chotelal’s artisans have to supplement their income by doing manual labor or selling peanuts on the street. Assistance came from Asha Handicrafts Association which introduced R.C.Marble to the concept of Fair Trade and quality control to distinguish their products from others. Today, R.C.Marble boasts of a cost-effective dust extraction system that ensures its artisans don’t breathe the dust that arises from cutting stone.

Yet Chotelal and his brothers are struggling to keep their business afloat. Most of their manual tools were designed and developed by Chotelal’s eldest brother, Ramesh, and they now feel the necessity to upgrade their equipment. This will help them increase the efficiency of their production. MyMela’s loan will help them achieve this goal one step at a time.

Despite the hardships the brothers face, their family bond stays strong. In fact, Chotelal is quick to state that he wouldn’t have it any other way. “We fight sometimes but we always stand by each other,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

"Learning blue pottery started as a hobby. Before I knew it, I had made it my business."

Sanjay Prajapati from Jaipur, Rajasthan took over the business of blue pottery from his father when he realized he was ready to make a profession out of his hobby. Sanjay’s father, Lalchand, was a master craftsman in blue pottery and was recognized by the Government of India for his expertise. Sanjay learned pottery and ceramic painting from his father who started Pink City Kala Udyog almost 30 years ago. His passion for blue pottery and his father’s deteriorating health resulted in Sanjay taking over the family business.

Before the 1960s, blue pottery was commissioned only by the royal family of Rajasthan. Sanjay’s community name Kumbhar identifies him as belonging to a particular group of people that was taught blue pottery from patrons of the royal family. Today while many others apart from the Kumbhars are involved in making blue pottery, it is still with a sense of pride that Kumbhars engage in their traditional profession.

Sanjay is a skilled designer, under whose auspices six other artisans have learned this art and now work with him. Sanjay also teaches design and ceramic craft at the Central Government Institute for research and training in Jaipur. While blue pottery has received a Geographical Indication (GI) tag to preserve the art, Sanjay admits that artisans are moving away from this technique . Blue pottery was practiced mostly by villagers, some of whom became wealthy by selling their land to urban developers. As a result, they are shifting their focus to less labour-intensive professions.

Sanjay has the uphill task of managing his business within a rapidly changing environment. Furthermore, a lot of his orders come from local vendors who do not give him an advance to procure raw materials. As a result, Sanjay resorts to moneylenders who charge anywhere between 50-100% interest on the loans they extend. With help from MyMela, Sanjay will be able to procure raw materials for his orders without incurring the burden of paying interest as well.

Sanjay lives with his wife and children in the same house from which he runs his business. While he wants his children to pursue their own dreams, he admits his daughter is good at painting and says rather wistfully, “I wouldn’t mind if she got into this line in the future.”

"I use my hands to give value to something as worthless as horn and bone. It is a good feeling."

Mohammad Talib started Mohammad Talib Handicrafts in a township called Serai Tareen in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh about seven years ago. He specializes in making jewelry out of glass, bone and horn beads. The son and brother of an artisan, Talib learned this trade from his father who he also considers his mentor. Talib started helping out with his family’s finances from a very young age, often juggling school with work.

When he started out on his own, he was faced with the initial challenge of dealing with rampant power cuts in the area that affected the jewelry making business. Furthermore, orders were difficult to come by and when they did, his buyers delayed on their payments.

He was introduced to Asha Handicrafts Association through a fellow artisan and has remained their loyal supplier ever since. He has received business knowledge as well as design expertise from Asha, something he is more than grateful for. Talib understands changing market trends and looks forward to getting more design input from buyers so that he can constantly update his products. Today, the women in his house help with the jewelry making process. He proudly states that they make their own money and handle their finances on their own.

He is glad his children will not have to eke out a living as he has. His children are educated and his living conditions have improved, including access to cooking gas and better toilet facilities. Talib’s next step is to keep a large stock of raw materials so that he doesn’t have to depend on temperamental suppliers every month. A loan from MyMela will help him do that and keep the wheels of his business turning.