On the eve of India's 77th Independence Day, a bunch of young girls took a small step towards independence by showcasing hand-made products as part of Swavalambi Shalini. The pop-up event was organised by Udayan Care under the aegis of Udayan Shalini Fellowship to promote entrepreneurship among female students.
The exhibition at Duckback House on Shakespeare Sarani had on display a wide range of items such as oxidised jewellery, paper, cloth jewellery, paintings, bags, garments, home decor and more.
The daylong pop-up show being inaugurated
Explaining the vision behind Swavalambi Shalini, Parimal Chandra Das, co-founder and joint convener, Udayan Care (West Bengal), said: “We don’t just facilitate resources for girls’ education. We believe in making them self-reliant and independent. Thus, events like these boost their self-confidence and open their minds towards entrepreneurship that has a lot of scope in today’s world.”
The message of sustainability was also loud and clear at this pop-up. Women used cloth cut pieces, newspapers, sea shells and hand-made paper to spin into beautiful creations.
Prantika Sengupta set up a table with her college mate Swagata Mridha. The two young first-year English Honours students of Vijaygarh Jyotish Ray College exhibited their talent in art and creativity with painted bottles and paintings. Pointing towards her creations, Prantika said: “I have liked to draw and paint since I was a child. Today, I have a few of my best paintings while Swagata painted these reused old bottles that are great home decor items.”
Visitors browse through the array of handicrafts on sale
Udayan Care, a non-profit organisation, through their Udayan Shalini Fellowship, empowers deserving young women with education, mentorship and skill-building, fostering their journey to self-sufficiency and success.
“Our programme, ‘Swavalambi Shalini’ stands as a testament to our dedication to nurturing entrepreneurship, financial independence and self-reliance. This event not only showcases the creative brilliance of our Shalinis but also honours those who have achieved financial independence through their unwavering dedication,” said Arundhati Sen, regional head east, Udayan Care.
The guests for the event were Soma Roy, Kolkata corporate social responsibility head, Ernst & Young Foundation; Dr Ananya Bhowmik, director at Code Wellness, clinical nutritionist & lifestyle consultant; Anilavaa Chatterjee, director of Greymind Communication and editor of Hangla Henshel; Nilanjan Dey, partner at Wishlist Capital, financial Analyst and columnist and Sunandita Dey, partner at Wishlist Capital, former master trainer of SIP Abacus.
Arundhati Sen and (right) Parimal Chandra Das begin the opening ceremony with a rendition of the National Anthem
Addressing the Shalinis, Soma Roy said: “Our forefathers fought for our country’s Independence, so we are enjoying the freedom now. Now, the baton is in your hands and you all are going to impact the country’s future. So go ahead and make a mark.”
The event also felicitated girls who recently grabbed job opportunities in corporate giants and those who have achieved great results in academics after being trained at Udayan Care. Each one was handed a trophy by the guests.
Congratulating the girls, Nilanjan Dey said: “Since I am from finance background, my speeches end up in money. I would say being financially independent is the most important aspect of feeling empowered. You are truly independent if you are earning enough for yourself.”
The guests went around the exhibition and looked at the handicrafts made by the Shalinis. They also purchased a few to encourage the girls.
The tables looked surreal with all that they had to offer
Dr Ananya Bhowmik, who has been associated with Udayan Care (Kolkata) for a long time summed up saying: “It is important for women to work hard towards their dreams. And Udayan supports these girls to make their dreams into reality. I believe there is nothing a woman can't do. So my message for the girls would be to set your goals and go for it until you achieve it.”
Udayan Care presently supports about 1,200 female students from economically backward families. While the girls acquire education in different schools and colleges, they are imparted knowledge on other developmental skills such as computers, spoken English, photography etc. by industry experts and Udayan Care staff.
