Supporting a Cause with a Benefit

                                    

Many of us think of lending a helping hand to the underprivileged population, but with busy life schedules and targets, they often take a back seat due to lack of time. There are many organisations which offer a digitised way of funding to the needy but there is always a benefit of the doubt in everyone’s mind whether the organisation is genuine and the funds really reach the needy. What if you can contribute according to your capacity with a benefit? then the answer is KALGUDI an online e-commerce platform supporting the rural people upliftment.

Kalgudi stages the products of the rural artisans and rural women supported by SERP-AP.(Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty). www.kalgudi.com

A majority of the rural population in India are underprivileged and many are into small scale business of handicrafts and the artforms which has percolated from ages and still continuing, but the mechanization has affected their existence and determinantal to their art form. Rural artisans are not equipped enough with the latest marketing and market penetration skills, due to lack of education and exposure to the digital platform. They get very few occasions to showcase their crafts maybe once or twice in government organised craft exhibitions like SARAS SARAS (Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society). These art forms are becoming extinct, to uplift the livelihood of such people KALGUDI is the platform where they can stage their products for such rare form of arts and geographic tagged products.

KALGUDI approaches all the self-help artisan groups, handhold, train and assist them and bring their products online and give their skills a helping hand and encourage them to continue their artform and uplift their livelihood. Purchasing their items on KALGUDI platform we are doing collateral/mutual benefit by financially supporting a good cause to uplift their livelihood and we get a product of our choice with a good feel of supporting a cause with a benefit.

 

Women Empowerment, eMahila, SARAS                             www.kalgudi.com

Alternative for Plastic

Best Alternative for Plastic Replacement

Plastic is widely used in our day to day life. Starting from our toothbrush to bed we use different forms of plastic, though convenient in our day to day use, it is posing an alarming threat to the environment. Plastic is non-biodegradable and does not decay by the biological actions of microbes. They remain in the same state as thrown them creating soil pollution and lots of plastic/polythene products are harming animals and indirectly causing harm to humans.

We cannot stop usage of plastic overnight but we can certainly minimise the usage by minimising it and replacing them with the usage of eco-friendly biodegradable products.One of them is palm leaf products.

Vijaya Palm Products is a part of the Indira Priyadarshini Self Help Group of the World bank funded SERP (Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty). Established in 1993, they have been in the business of making Palm products and have received plenty of awards and a loyal patronage from famous people like Chandrababu Naidu, Kofi Annan & George Bush. They are focused on the environment by making products that are safe, biodegradable and eco-friendly hence use vegetable dye for colouring. Vijaya Palm Products has received many awards and certificates the best product in National SARAS (Sale of Articles of Rural Artisans Society)fair, a National award in DCH Lepakshi handicrafts and more. They are the first in palm craft making SHG who trained more than 500 women as a part of the various government-supported rural upliftment programme.

They focus on rural women upliftment and making eco-friendly products.Many of the products they make include our day to day usage products like fruit baskets, storage boxes, market bags, trays, storage baskets, laundry baskets, medicine boxes, etc. to name a few of their products.





The products are famous in and around the East Godavari district and they could sell their products beyond their geographical limit only during the government organised handicraft exhibitions. Their products lacked visibility due to their lack of knowledge on digital marketing, ecommerce portals and digital payment gateway.

The SHG approached Kalgudi team and detail listing of their products were done and the products went live on Kalgudi in October 2018. Thus the products have been made globally visible and Kalgudi has created an alternate consistent revenue stream.Thus Kalgudi made their eco friendly products available to many who are looking out for an alternative for plastic products.

Palm Products, Palm Leaf Products, Fruit Baskets, Market Bags             www.kalgudi.com

  

Value Addition in Papaya Farming - Kalgudi success Story

Papaya plant and its fruits are well known to all for their rich nutritional value. But very few of us know that the leaves are equally useful, the lack of knowledge in many farmers about the usage of leaves they either throw them away or use for composting. The Papaya leaves are used in many ayurvedic medicinal preparations and beauty products for treating Dandruff and Anti-ageing problems.

A vendor from Castlerock Belgaum district posted requirement for one ton of papaya Leaves for supply to a beauty products manufacturing unit on Kalgudi platform, the Kalgudi team immediately contacted a farmer in Kadapa district. The farmer has a Papaya farm and after the fruit harvest the tree topping is done for the growth of fresh leaves and the old leaves are used for composting.

A FPO contacted the vendor and arranged for the sale of one ton of papaya leaves for Rs.12000 ie.Rs.12 per kg via Kalgudi platform and payment was done through Kalgudi payment gateway, the farmer is assured of timely payment and after the freight charges the farmer made a profit of Rs.7,200 thus Kalgudi ensured the value addition to the farmer and has shown an alternate fixed revenue stream.

Kalgudi, Papaya Online Buy, Papaya Nutrition            www.kalgudi.com

Kondapalli Toys

Wooden toys and decoratives had its existence from ages, later on with the discovery of plastic and its cost-effectiveness the importance of the wooden toys has been gradually decreasing and limited itself to home decoratives.

Now with the awareness of hazardous effects of plastic, people are looking for more eco-friendly toys, vegetable dyed wooden toys are gaining prominence. Wooden painted toys locally known as Kondapalli toys are world-famous. In southern states of India, there is a culture of arranging Bommala Koluvu during Dasara and Pongal festivals where they showcase the dolls and kondapalli toys have a special place and adds grandeur. The toys are known for their special feature that adds an ethnic touch to home decor with their finely created figurines. The Kondapalli toys have carved a niche of their own in the world of handicrafts. The Kondapalli toys are made from softwood known as Tella Poniki(White Sanders) which are found in nearby Kondapalli Hills. The wooden piece is heated to make it moisture-free, different parts of the image are carved separately. They are then glued together with an adhesive made of crushed tamarind seeds. Water and vegetable dye colours are used to paint the toys or figurine. Painting is done with soft and thin paint brushes made of goat's hair. The toys depict scenes from actual life, animals, rural folks, deities and characters from the epics. Dancing Doll, Dasavatar, Village Backdrop and Ambari Elephants are among the famous items produced by the artisans here.

This art form which has got extensive patronage from the rulers in ancient times is in decline due to lack of profits,time taken to produce toys, lack of marketing skills, packaging techniques, digital technical skills and influence of western art, younger generations are not encouraged towards this art.

Sri Kanakadurga(DWCRA) (Development of Women and Children in Rural Areas Self Help Group) established in 1998 is supported by AP SERP. This group is into the business of making wooden toys, they are supporting women empowerment by training women to keep this ancient art live with an experience of 20 years, they have unique toy designs of hand made toys but faced hurdles in marketing, advertising, showcasing their products, receiving funds etc

KALGUDI interacted with Sri Kanakadurga Dwcra Self Help Group, listed all their products and exposed them to the digital market. The SHG went live online with KALGUDI and is getting orders from various geographical locations. The listing of their items in KALGUDI has ensured an increase in their product sales, volume of business and product visibility.

They have received orders from many northern regions of India. It is the best gifting options to our kids which is eco-friendly and these can be gifted on various occasions and ceremonies.

Next time when you are gifting, remember that Kondapalli toys are just a click away.

Kondapalli Toys, Kondapalli Dolls, Kondapalli Bommalu                           www.kalgudi.com