SELF HELP GROUP PROMOTION  Echo
self help group is an association of rural weavers
and Artisans. It was set up and nurtured by Ms Sonnie Kath since
May 2006.The SELF HELP GROUP was doing its utmost to help the
rural weavers and artisans but its sphere of influence was rather
limited. Independently, Neel had an organization called Expressions
Exotic which was promoting travel to offbeat tourist destinations
in India from abroad and within the country mainly to infuse
money into rural and semi urban areas. Neel met Sonnie through
common friends in Jan 2008 and was inspired and motivated by
Sonnie’s one woman army approach in trying to make a difference.
Neel thereafter put together a network of like minded individuals’
from different fields but all committed to improvement of the
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX of the rural populace. Thus was born
EXOTIC ECHO. The first project launched by Exotic Echo was to
create sustainable employment for a group of 20 rural weavers
from the Diezephe village in Nagaland. The work with the weavers
commenced in JUL 2008.
Top Vision Statement To develop into an organization to uplift the human development index of the rural populace with a global footprint stretching from Papua New Guinea to the Basins of the Amazon River Top Focus Rural
Employment Sector Create
Sustainable employment for handloom weavers and handicraft
making artisans in the rural areas worldwide.
Health
Care sector. Screen the population in the rural areas for Diabetic mapping and
create an infrastructure to prevent diabetes and ultimately
build on this experience to build and provide LOW COST MULTIPLE
DIAGNOSTIC CENTRES in the rural areas world wide.
Insurance
Sectorr. Low
premium based Life and Health Insurance with group schemes
for the rural population worldwide.
Education
Sector. Providing linkages to wards of handloom
weavers and artisans through scholarships.
Entrepreneurship
Building. Encourage
marginal entrepreneurs in rural areas by providing Micro
Finance linkages.
Top Methodology Adopted Create rural employment by introducing innovative marketing ideas which while adding to social equity, helps to create rural employment, improves the human development index of the population and at the same time results in better penetration and improvement of bottom lines for the companies supporting the various initiatives. Top PRESENT INITIATIVES Top Weaving Initiatives
 Exotic
Echo plans to create a platform of at least 500 weavers all
over India in the next five years out to which 200 would be
from the North Eastern states of INDIA. As on 31 Jan 2010, we have a total of 78 weavers who are earning their livelihood through our weaving initiative.We plan to have and support between 83 and 101 weavers through us by Dec 2010. For more details please on the weaving initiativeclick here.
Top Diabetes Screening Initiative
 The
diabetes screening initiative of the organization has commenced
on 06 Dec 2008 and is presently screening people in the two
states of Nagaland and Meghalaya. The programme is still in
its nascent stages of development and has been able to screen
an average of 55.2 persons per day. For more details please click here.
Schedule of camp held till 31st July.
Diabetes control camp held at Paren(Nagaland) in April, Dimapur in May and Jaintia Hills Namdong village in Meghalaya in June.
24th July 09- First Diabetes Screening center opened in Konton- u -mon, East Khasi Hills,
Meghalaya.
. 12th Dec 09- Second Diabetes Screening center opened in Diezephe Village, Dimapur , Nagaland, India.
Top Setting up of Infrastructure
- EXOTIC ECHO is one of the approved
nodal agencies under the Department of Rural Development
which has the mandate to train grass root level weavers
and help them on the path of self employability. We have
decided to create a NODAL TRAINING CENTRE for our weaving
initiative of the organization in the Diezephe village,near
Dimapur in Nagaland.
- EXOTIC ECHO has also been designated
as a preferred partner organization by BAYER HEALTHCARE
to promote an awareness and screening programme for diabetes
in North East India. We have decided to set up the NODAL
TRAINING CENTRE for training the diabetes healthcare educator
cum employees at the Konton–U-Mon hamlet of Nongkrem,
near Shillong in Meghalaya.
- EXOTIC ECHO has already created
the basic infrastructure for computer based classroom teaching
with internet connectivity with basic printers to support
/ take printouts at Diezephe. Although these are very rudimentary,
even these rudimentary facilities are beyond the scope of
imagination of the grass root level weavers.
• We are in the process of reviving six Government
installed “Fly Shuttle Looms” and now under
the Women’s Society of Diezephe. These looms are in
a state of disuse and need urgent repairs. We have taken
up a programme not only to repair the looms, restore the
shed where they are housed but also pay rentals for the
looms to the Women’s Society.This infrastructure would
be ready by Feb end 2009.
- We are commencing work on the 01
March to set up a eco freindly temporary working shed to
accommodate at least 20 weavers for their practical training
and aim to complete the work before 31 March 2009.
- We are also in the process of arranging
for infrastructure to board and lodge upto 20 people in
Diezephe at a time for our ever increasing members who have
started coming to our project office for standardization,
integration and new skill development programmes. We would
be ready to handle a load of 20 trainees from the 15 April
2009.
- Having completed all the above work by April, exotic echo has now embarked on creating an integrated complex where diabetes screening, sale and demonstration of handloom products and a new design weaving pattern will be developed. The work has commenced in June and is expected to be completed by October end
THE INTEGRATED PROJECT COMPLEX AS ENVISAGED has been formally inaugurated on the 12 Dec 2009.A new modern conference cum multi utility room with a capacity for seating 40 people has also been added.
A NEW RESTUARANT for serving light snacks, mini meals has een added and launched in Jan 2010.
.
A NEW RETAIL STORE UNDER THE BRAND NAME " 8 TO 7 " is getting ready for inauguration in DIEZEPHE VILLAGE by Mar 2010 .This initiative will help create 04 jobs to start with, bring better and deeper assortment of merchandize for the village at much cheaper rates.This will help save valuable time and money for the people of the village.
Top AN APPEAL TO ALL VISITORS TO THIS SITE To encourage our weavers and KEEP THE PROJECT SUSTAINABLE, please gift your near or dear ones our excellent and guaranteed handloom products. We can deliver the products anywhere in India. For details of how to buy a product please e mail us at biswas.indranil@yahoo.com Top SELF HELP GROUPS WHICH HAVE JOINED EXOTIC ECHO
- SHURHI KROTO SELF HELPGROUP
- SHANU SELF HELP GROUP
- KESO SELF HELP GROUP
- AMACHI SELF HELP GROUP
- NYDA NONGKREM
In all we have 27 SHGs have registered till 31 Jan 2010.
Top YOU CAN JOIN THE MOVEMENT BY JUST FILLING UP THE FORM AND MAILING IT TO US biswas.indranil@yahoo.com)
( The credentials of the group will be
ascertained before admittance) Click
here to download the form
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