Pop-Up Boutique Ups Fashion, Joy Quotient Among Homeless

Nagpur: In her mid-20s, Durga's eyes gleam as she browses the clothes on display at a special ‘pop-up boutique' in Nagpur, while she runs her finger over a few of them to feel the fabric's texture and smiles in appreciation.
While Durga picks up a few dresses which she likes from the ‘boutique', she does not have to pay for them. There is no check-out counter at this boutique and Durga, is a homeless woman living in a Nagpur shelter home. The pop-up boutique, officially known as ‘My Shelter Store' is the brainchild of NGO Zero Gravity, which has been at the forefront of implementing innovative projects.
Maitreyi Jichkar, co-founder of the NGO, said, "We started ‘My Shelter Home' as a boutique which caters exclusively to homeless people. We set up this pop-up store at either the shelter home or some mutually convenient place, where inmates of shelters can come."
Shelter home managers are informed in advance about the location and timings of these stores, which ensures that the beneficiaries do not lose out.
The idea behind the ‘My Shelter Home' initiative was to change the way people look at donating clothes. Jichkar said, "There has to be dignity in the process of giving clothes to the needy. Their self-respect has to be a priority. That's why we decided to provide them with an experience of shopping, just like in the big retail stores."
Zero Gravity volunteers also double up as ‘shopping assistants', who help the beneficiaries in making choices on which clothes might be a better fit for them. No wonder, Durga is happy. "It feels like I have come shopping in some fancy place. The choice of clothes is so much better and I really liked a few, which I have taken now."
Another ‘shopper', 21-year-old Pratiksha Uike, said, "It's nice to choose dresses according to our sizes. The variety here is amazing, I got to see many options in long dresses, salwar, accessories, everything was available just like in those big shops."
Mananda Pise added, "We were very happy to see this. We shopped while talking with other people. We could take what we liked without any hesitation."
Zero Gravity volunteer Sameeran shared the journey of the clothes so far and the thought process which goes into quality checks, even though it's being donated. "We decide on days when people can come in and donate at the Zero Gravity office. For Saturday's event at Shraddhanand orphanage, the donation dates were from March 24- 29. It's preferable that they're washed and ironed, at least washed. We inspect the clothes that come in, box by box. We sort first according to gender, then size-wise," Sameeran said.
Volunteer Sagarika Limaye said, "We sorted them according to the age group, then according to the style as well. Like western dresses, Indian dresses, for medium or large."
A homeless woman, in her mid-50s, who did not want to be identified said, "I am experiencing something like this for the first time. I have received donated clothes before also, but this is very special. I feel like I am walking into some shop in a mall and the employees there are helping me choose the best one. I can't afford all that, but today I got a similar feeling."
(With inputs from Litishka Jagdeo)