Spending a week at Archana Women’s Centre (AWC) in Kerala was an unforgettable experience. More than just an organisation, AWC is a place of transformation, where women gain practical skills, confidence, and the tools to challenge deeply rooted gender norms. AWC equips women with training in trades and crafts like carpentry, welding, construction, tailoring, and food production, fields often dominated by men, particularly in the UK. Watching women excel in these areas was powerful. It reminded me how vital it is to create inclusive spaces where women are not only encouraged but supported to take up tools, build businesses, and shape their futures.
The Carpentry Unit and #StopSayingWomenCant
The carpentry unit was a highlight. I watched women master precise cuts, build furniture, and handle tools with skill and pride, and was lucky enough to use some of the tools in the workshop myself. We watched AWC’s #StopSayingWomenCant video together, a bold, emotional call to end stereotypes around women in trades. This piece challenged stereotypes that suggest women can't, or shouldn't, work with tools. The women in this unit are rewriting these narratives associated with trades work and have created an empowering environment where carpentry for women is celebrated.
Cooking: Madakku Palaharam
Away from the tools, I also spent time in an AWC kitchen. Working with Maisie to make madakku palaharam from scratch was a joy, learning family recipes and getting to try new Indian snacks was an incredible experience. That blend of work, learning, and community made the cooking session unforgettable, and the nadakku palaharam itself was delicious, especially freshly made.
Reflections
This week has been highly reflective; from the early morning boat trip we took to see the blooming lillies on Kerala's backwaters, a perfect demonstration of the importance of nurturing things at the right time and in the right environment for success, to the constant reflection about the organisation preparing for this weeks consulting project about AWC's social media presence and communications strategy for outreach.
AWC showed me what real empowerment looks like: practical and community-driven. As someone from the UK, where women are still underrepresented in trades, I left inspired, and more committed than ever to helping create spaces where women can learn, lead, and thrive. Thank you to the women of AWC for welcoming me into your workshops and kitchens, for sharing your stories, and for showing me what’s possible when we stop saying women can’t, and start showing that they absolutely can.