The last one year has been a memorable one for Narmatha Biju. From exhibiting a few handpicked saris, she has become a patron for cancer survivors, providing them a platform to sell their handmade products and thus lend a helping hand to Punarjani Cancer Crusaders Society.
With her novel ideas, Narmatha and her partner Rosalyn Ruby John have used business as a tool to spread awareness on cancer and reach out to a suffering section of the society in a more effective manner than any awareness campaign could.
During the one year as an entrepreneur, they conducted sari exhibitions in 15 locations in the State as well as Mahe where cancer survivors approached them to join their efforts.
Everywhere, they distributed pamphlets about different types of cancer to all those who visited the expo.
Their 16{+t}{+h}exhibition that began at Police Club in Kozhikode on Wednesday features products of cancer survivors from all the 15 previous centres, ranging from flower baskets to candles to handmade soaps.
“I know how it feels when you have a sick person at home. In my first exhibition, I had offered just one table to Punarjani products. I had no inkling at that time that it would give me a new aim in life. Now we have a whole row of products by cancer survivors, the proceedings from the sale of which will go to the society, and so will a good share of the profit from selling the saris,” Narmatha said. Coming from a family of textile merchants, Narmatha is well aware of how the weavers of the country are being exploited by middlemen and big business houses. Sourcing the products, all cotton, directly from the weavers is a mutually beneficial arrangement, she said and added that it also helped her to sell her saris at a much lower rate than the big shops.
Narmatha now dreams of providing employment to destitute women from poor financial background, irrespective of their educational qualification.
“I am not a big-shot, but I should do what I can for the less privileged”, she says.
