Potential Assessment ~ A comprehensive research on the potential of small/micro non-farm enterprise in the project area has been carried out by Pragya members. This included a mapping of the available resources and skills, natural and cultural heritage, as well as identifying potential products and assessing the feasibility of developing these into rural enterprise. The study revealed three high-potential heritage-based enterprises in Sikkim- handicrafts & handloom, agroproducts & processing of non-timber forest products, and rural tourism.

Capacity Building ~ Pragya has established a strong rapport with the community and artisans. Interactions and sessions with the community has developed in them an understanding of the need for alternate, non-farm employment avenues, the need for heritage preservation, and the potential as well as improvement needs of the traditional arts & crafts that have been taken up for direct intervention in the first phase of the project. Pragya is working with the artisans and women‘s groups towards instituting Self Help Groups for the activity. Two SHGs are in the process of being set up, one in each of the two target districts in Sikkim.

Training & Documentation ~ Some high-skilled artisans have been identified and are being roped in to provide training to community members desirous of taking up handicrafts as a livelihood. Training programmes are being developed for these artisans as well as the Self Help Groups (cooperatives) that will manage the enterprise. Some representatives from large-scale buyers are also being involved to orient the artisans to the market and customer needs & preferences. The high skilled artisans and elders are being involved in the creation of a resource centre for arts & crafts that will preserve, research into, and develop these. Women‘s groups have been organised for the crafts of- carpets, raris, mezes, and rogs. Group members have been trained on group management and quality & market requirements. Faculty from the National Institute for Fashion Technology, a premier institute in the country, have worked on product development and quality upgradation. Training programmes were conducted for these artisans as well as the Self Help Groups (cooperatives) that will manage the enterprise. Towards skill upgradation and product enhancement, Pragya conducted a week-long training programme for women from Yoksum and Lachen in partnership with the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, in August 2001; a group of women were provided training on the use of natural dyes by the Wool Research Association, Mumbai in October 2002. In addition, the organisation has been in touch with the WRA and National Textile Laboratory for devising techniques to improve the raw material used (wool, for example). Pragya members are also working on documentation and digitalisation of the crafts, and designing a website as an e-commerce facility for the crafts produced by the women‘s groups.

Enterprise Establishment ~ Pragya, along with select community members (the ‘early adopter’ artisans and ‘key influencers’ like respected village members) has designed the complete handicrafts enterprise in the target area, including the siting of handicrafts centres, and routing of supply material and finished products. A market study by Pragya members yielded the products with highest potential and the customer expectations of these products. The project is being established on the hub and spoke design, developing one hub per district in each of the two target districts. The spokes will include the home-based processes for any product and will be located in select villages. The hub will house the training centre, the finishing and quality control stage for production, and a sales outlet and is to be sited at semi-urban centres. The traditional base, cooperative structure and small size of the enterprises ensure maximum benefits flow back in an equitable manner to the indigenous community.

Technology Development & Transfer ~ Pragya experts are at work preparing the ideal processes and tools towards ensuring the required quality of products and enhancing productivity. This involves modification of existing tools and establishment of standards and processes. For instance, a tool under development is one for ensuring quick and uniform production of wooden bowls, and a process for adapting traditional designs to modern needs. All products are being examined to identify improvement requirements. The developed processes and equipment will need to be instituted and monitored.

Galvanising Development ~ Local communities are being mobilised to build linkages between the enterprises and community development. Pragya is also liaising with other development arms of the Government of India to enhance the project impacts and improve the infrastructure and services. This includes livelihoods related bodies like the Khadi Village Industries Commission and the National Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development for credit facilities. The traditional local institutions will be facilitated to utilise the enterprise benefits for integrated development of the communities.