This Bengaluru NGO sells handmade COVID-19 masks by women artisans

Sixty underprivileged women artisans from Bengaluru and Hyderabad make the masks sold by Craftizen Foundation

Craftizen Foundation, a Bengaluru-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has been selling handmade masks for the COVID-19 outbreak.

The NGO, according to its founder Mayura Balasubramanian, has sold over 10,000 plain, reusable cotton (cambric and handloom) masks made by over 50 women. It availed the services of 10 more women to make hand painted and reversible masks, which was launched this week.

Craftizen Foundation, founded in 2014, focuses on providing livelihoods for traditional artisans, especially from marginalised communities. They claim their work, which includes skill development in design, production and marketing, has had over 2,000 beneficiaries over the last six years. Craftizen currently runs two centres —15 livelihood centres across Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

“It is a great challenge now to keep the artisans relevant,” says Mayura, “Their skills might not be essential in these times. But a lot of them are out of employment. Which is why we came up with this idea of hand-painted masks.”

The women who make these masks, she adds, have been involved with Craftizen for one to three years.

“The sourcing of raw materials has been difficult due to the lockdown. And, the delivery of the masks will take at least one to three weeks. But within the first two days of launching the handmade masks, we have received orders for over 500 of them.”

Craftizen is also planning to come up with a kids’ edition soon.

The masks are available at www.craftizen.org/shop . For more information, contact +919606071227