Singapore-based entrepreneur aids violence-hit Manipuri women crochet stuffed dolls, sell products

Imphal: A Singapore-based Manipuri entrepreneur is helping displaced people living in relief camps crochet stuffed dolls for the global market, aiming to provide the women of the violence-hit northeastern state with a sustainable livelihood and promote self-reliance.

Speaking to PTI over the phone, Monish Karam, who runs a tech firm in Singapore, said, "After conflict suddenly broke out in May last year, we saw thousands of people left homeless and cramped in relief camps with no source of income. This hit us hard, and we wanted to do something sustainable for the affected people. After a lot of brainstorming sessions, we decided that the initiation of a skill-oriented programme would be best for the displaced persons to help them earn a sustainable livelihood in the long run."

"I saw a palm-sized crocheted doll of my daughter and took inspiration from it to enable affected women make similar dolls, as Manipuri women are traditionally good in handicrafts and producing handloom items," Karam, who is a computer science graduate from the National University of Singapore, said.

Monish Karam

"However, we wanted to focus on doll characters that are generic, relatable, and have a global appeal so that the dolls could be sold outside Manipur, and the money generated could be used to finance the displaced women and their families," he added.

Karam further said that his team had seen displaced women involved in making candles, incense, and washing powders, only to struggle with selling the finished products. He said they decided to make the doll-making project much simpler.

"Many have seen inmates of relief camps making candles and incense, coming out to the streets to sell their products. In order to make the whole process simpler for the affected women, we decided to take care of the complexities involved in the process of selling the dolls, such as sales support, branding, marketing, collaboration, and simply let the women focus on making the dolls," Karam said.

"These dolls are not mere dolls. We believe they are the symbol of hope and vessels of storytelling," he said.

The whole project, titled 'Project Stitching Hope' is carried out under 1 Million Heroes (IMH), a subgroup of the tech firm owned by Karam.

Karam also shared how touched he was when a Uttar Pradesh-based woman, the wife of a high-ranking Indian Army officer, purchased the dolls in bulk and later sold them in her circle, showcasing those as a unique item made by affected women of Manipur.

"She later sent the sales money to us, which was again transferred to the displaced women back home. She did that only because she wanted to help," Karam added.

Project Manager Nomita Ningthoujam told PTI, "We engaged two local trainers and visited relief camps in Bishnupur and Kakching districts and imparted training to displaced women for a couple of months, beginning in October. Currently, some 40-plus women are regularly engaged in crocheting stuffed dolls." "Purchases have been made both within and outside the country," Ningthoujam added.

"For stuffing the dolls, cotton polyester stuffing material is used," she said.

Seema Yumkhaibam, a mother of two who fled from Khuga Tampak in Churachandpur district, is one of the doll artisans who has received training under the project.

The 38-year-old, who has been allotted a pre-fabricated home in Kwakta area in Bishnupur district, said, "We are assigned with making animal dolls, which include a dog, cat, tiger, and a bear. Dolls of Radha and Krishna are also made. Raw materials are being provided freely, and our only task is to handcraft the dolls. Logistics involved is taken care of by the 1MH team."