Project Zardozi is a program that was designed with the main purpose to create livelihood opportunities for women. It is being run as a part of the CSR initiative of DCM Shriram Foundation, where young rural entrepreneurs are being trained in the art of zardozi and other embroideries at the Silai School in Loni and Ajbapur.
Taking this forward, a group of around 50 women artisans from Loni, Hardoi were motivated towards working on a special festive collection under the guidance of master artisans from Mon Ami Foundation.
The master artisans from Mon Ami Foundation were able to mentor them in modern designs, uplifting their skills to match the requirements of the urban sector. They worked on creating an exiting fusion using zardozi embroidery, crochet and other art forms to bring together a collection that was fresh, elegant and extremely well crafted.
This spirited collection is a first from these artisans and is inspired by the Sarus Crane, which is a beautiful but endangered bird from the nearby Sandi Bird Sanctury. It is the world’s tallest flying bird and has both historical and spiritual significance, dating back to the legendry days of the Ramayana and Gautam Buddha.
The women artisans were mentored at every step of the designing and development phase of this collection by the trainers from Mon Ami Foundation. Modern and contemporary designs that are the requirement of today’s market were the main focus for this range and for training the artisans.
