Week 4 marked the halfway point of our mini-consulting projects, which felt like a proud achievement for us all. We’ve been working hard during our time in India to give our very best to the consulting projects, ensuring that our feedback is both helpful and implementable for the organisations we've worked with.

Our third organisation was Archana Women’s Centre (AWC), which focuses on training women in non-traditional industries such as carpentry, welding, and brick-making. Alongside this, they create community support networks, host workshops centred on female empowerment, and run camps for young children. It is a truly exceptional organisation, and my time there was wonderfully enlightening.

On our first day, we arrived at AWC full of energy and were welcomed by several team members, each playing a vital role in the organisation’s work. We spent the morning in a beautiful building, which we discovered had been built entirely by women. This surprised me, as I don’t think this would be common in the UK, where men tend to dominate manual labour industries. Monday was a great day for learning about the context and workings of AWC, before we kicked off Tuesday with several field visits.

Throughout the week, we were lucky enough to meet many different women and observe their skills and crafts. A particular highlight for me was the carpentry unit, where we met a wonderful 60-year-old woman who had trained later in life as a carpenter. She was truly inspirational, and I feel honoured that she took the time to show us her craft, and even let us have a go!

The week culminated in our presentation, which we hope will be useful for AWC. Another brilliant week full of new experiences and lots of learning here in Kerala. Thank you to the CraftHER team for making it possible!