The Jaipur Rugs Foundation works to transform rural India by providing carpet artisans opportunities to increase their income. It trains over 2.5 million low-income artisans, helping increase their average daily wages from $1 to $3. The Foundation establishes production centers and common facility centers where artisans can work and gain ownership over the production process. This leads to higher productivity and wages, developing artisans' dignity and self-esteem while benefiting the rural economy.
1. TR ANSFORMING RUR AL INDIA BY PR OVIDING
A RT I S A N S W I T H O P P O RT U N I T I E S T O I N C R E A S E
THEIR INCOME
Jaipur Rugs Foundation - GSBI™ Class of 2010
Headquarters: Jaipur, Rajasthan Problem Statement:
India
There are 2.5 million carpet artisans in India earning less than
Established: 2004 $2 a day. Living mostly in rural areas, they are exploited by petty
contractors and have inadequate skills. They are unorganized,
Impact Areas: India
work under difficult conditions and have little access to markets.
Type: Non-Profit/NGO This leads to a lack of bargaining power, resulting in low produc-
tivity and wages.
Sectors: Economic Development,
Equality & Social Justice
Staff Size: 32 with 5 part-time
consultants and 15 volunteers
Annual Budget: $3.5 Million
Major Funders: Government
organizations, Jaipur Rug Company &
CSR, Individual donors
Awards: Sankalp Award in 2010,
Recognition from FICCI on CSR activi-
ties, Best SME for CSR by Business
Today & YES Bank
Solution:
Through development and training of carpet weaving artisans,
Jaipur Rugs Foundation is transforming rural villages in India
to develop greater efficiency and higher income and economic
Theory of Change: prosperity for weavers and their communities. JRF enables the
Jaipur Rugs Foundation provides artisans to have ownership of the production process by devel-
training for Indian carpet industry oping production units and Common Facility Centers. This will
artisans, increasing their productivity create local employment catalyzing the rural economy. We bring
and income, thereby developing their our expertise in the carpet industry to influence the entire sector
dignity and self-esteem. to benefit the rural artisans.
“JRF’s well-tested and respected training model, on average, increases the daily income of
artisans from $1 to $3 a day, with a potential to go up to $5 a day.” - Vinod Kaushik, Chief
Executive Officer
| www.jaipurrugs.org | info@jaipurrugs.org | +91 141 239 8948 |
2. TR ANSFORMING RUR AL INDIA BY PR OVIDING
A RT I S A N S W I T H O P P O RT U N I T I E S T O I N C R E A S E
THEIR INCOME
Milestones Achieved: Impact to Date:
2007: Received first external grant for • Trained 40,000 artisans in 800 villages from 10 states in
capacity building of carpet artisans India
• Increased average income from $1 to $3 per day
2008: Created the first production center,
• Hundreds of success stories of artisans earning $3-10 per
shifting weaving activities from the house-
hold to the center
day
• Organized more than 5,000 artisans in 500 Savings and
2009: Launched innovative model of ag- Thrift Groups generating $25,000 in total savings
gregating the carpet weaving processes
under one roof (Common Facility Center)
Annual Budget vs. No. of Beneficiaries:
2010: Progressing to full implementation
of CFC model
5-Year Growth Plan:
• Set up 500 village level Production
Centers
• Upgrade skills of existing 40,000
artisans and skill development
training for 60,000 new artisans
• Establish 10 artisan owned Com-
mon Facility Centers all over India
( 80 % equity held by artisans)
• Provide management training to
10,000 artisans who will own CFCs Cost vs. No. of Beneficiaries:
and Production Centers
• Develop Self Help Groups (SHG), $83
inculcating saving habits and capi-
tal formation which will enhance
their bargaining power
“I attended carpet weaving training
organized by JRF and it was a life
changing experience and it made a
huge difference in my life, earlier I
could earn hardly $ 2 per day now
I earn more and can dream big,
thanks to JRF” - Khairatilal, weaver
Investment Required:
from Piplai village in Thanagazi, Grants totaling $10 million over the next five years.
Rajasthan.
This profile was developed during the 2010 Global Social Benefit Incubator™, the signature program of
Santa Clara University’s Center for Science, Technology and Society.
Updated 8/26/2010. www.scu.edu/sts/gsbi
| www.jaipurrugs.org | info@jaipurrugs.org | +91 141 239 8948 |