“A shopkeeper wants a paper bag that is 20 cm in length, 30 cm height and 5 cm width. How much paper would you need to make bag?” D. Haridas’ query has the mixed bag of students attending his workshop for making paper bags trying to do some quick multiplication and addition. In the meantime, Haridas gives them the answer and adds: “You have to be so familiar with the dimensions that it should all come automatically.”
Then he gives them sheets of paper and tells them to make a paper bag each to see how much they have grasped. While the students get busy with scissors, paper and glue, Haridas explains what the class is all about.
“As part of a scheme to empower women, Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi at Thycaud in the city has been holding workshops of different kinds. For instance, the one I am taking is for making paper bags. It is a three-day workshop for ₹300,” he says. A former employee of the Government Press, Haridas has been taking such classes all over Kerala since he retired from service in 1994.
This particular class at Gandhi Bhavan in Thycaud has students from all over Thiruvananthapuram district. Three men are also attending the workshop predominantly consisting of women. Many of the women are young mothers in their thirties and have come with lunchboxes et al to attend the day-long session.
Budding entrepreneurs
G. Bindukumari, for instance, has come all the way from Parassala to attend the session with her daughter, as she had to skip school on account of a fever. Naziya M. from Vencode, a 33-year-old mother of two, says she hopes to learn how to make paper bags and earn an income by selling the bags. “My husband is in West Asia and he wants me to see if I can learn this to make and sell the bags,” she adds, before turning her attention to a pista-coloured sheet of paper that she is cutting up for a bag.
Participants of a workshop to teach making of paper bags conducted by Kerala Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi | Photo Credit: Saraswathy Nagarajan
The three men in the class are slightly older and two have returned from West Asia. They are having a go at making paper bags to see if it can be turned into a profitable venture.
“I used to work abroad and now that I have returned to Kerala, I am exploring different options to see if I can start something for a living,” says 49-year-old Nazar A. from Pothencode while 50-yeard-old Sajeem M. from Andoorkonam wants to learn the art of making paper bags to teach members of Kudumbasree in his village.
“We are in talks with the Corporation to see if we can tie up with them to supply paper bags. Since plastic carry bags have been banned by the Corporation, paper bags are much in demand and if the women plan to make use of this workshop to begin a small unit to make bags, then we can help them find markets,” says J.M. Rahim, a public relations officer of the Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi.
Haridas adds says that old newspapers, calendars and discarded clothes can all be used for making paper bags. “Newspapers, chart paper and fancy decorative paper are used to make paper bags for different purposes. The bags are strong and can be used to carry grocey and vegetables. All the raw material is quite inexpensive since it is easily available in homes. I have also taught women to make aggarbattis and now a mother and her daughter are making a living from that,” says Haridas. In addition, he teaches them to make envelopes, writing files, paper boards and notebooks.
“Moreover, we also have resource persons taking classes on how to make candles, soaps and nettipattam (caprison used to decorate elephants during temple festivals). There are workshops on fabric painting, terrocotta painting, ornament-making and so on. Parvathy Menon, a former professor of NSS College, leads sessions on fabric painting and terracotta painting. The aim is to help women stand on their feet,” says D. Maya, vice-chairperson of the Nidhi.
The workshops started on July 16 and will go through the month. “It is one of the many activities that we have here to help those from less privileged sections of society. We also have a bazaar for selling organic vegetables on Saturdays. Those who require envelopes or writing boards can place orders for us,” says K.G. Jagadish, secretary of the Nidhi.
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