This Month FLO Vol 4 | Year 2020-21 | September 2020 Editorial Team FROM THE Bela Rajan PRESIDENT’S DESK Governing Body Member Ankurita Pathak Hello Everyone!! Jt. Director FLO It gives me great pleasure to inform you that we are slowly and steadily moving towards our avowed mission of sustainable livelihood for women’s economic empowerment. The Handloom & Handicraft sector is one such model of sustainable livelihood and which impacts the largest number of Indian women after agriculture. Covid 19 left millions of artisans stranded with no access to raw materials , markets and basic sustenance. FLO has collaborated with Creative Dignity to come together as a movement to provide relief and opportunities for respectful aid. In these Covid Times, it was also vital for our members to take advantage of the E commerce space for their businesses whether in goods or in services. I am happy to inform you that FLO has signed an MoU with the Government eMarketplace ( GEM) to expose them to the gamut of opportunities there. In our Eminent Women Series , which is our Learning Platform , we met with Dr Sunitha Krishnan, activist for trafficked women who has shaken our collective conscience. Under our National Initiative of FLO 3 C’s of Competency, Capacity & Confidence Building , FLO and Sleepwell Foundation took up the online training of 2000 students in the first two batches under its AdoptITI Programme AITIP . This was only possible because of OneFLO with 12 of our 17chapters signing up the ITIs. FLO is indebted to the selfless service of our Past President Namita Gautam whose foundation has borne the entire costs. There can be no greater satisfaction than making a difference in someone’s life . The testimonials from these students has been such that I feel our responsibility as FLO has increased , to sustain this journey. Warm Regards, Jahnabi Phookan President, FLO 1 | FLO THIS MONTH This Month This Month FLO FLO NATIONAL FLO FLO NATIONAL Restoring Lives & Livelihoods : FLO- Creative Dignity Eminent Women Series 5: Initiative to Support and Promote Distressed Artisans Human Trafficking: Interaction with Padmashri September 18 2020 Dr Sunitha Krishnan, Founder- NGO Prajwala & Social Activist. September 8, 2020 ecommerce sites - GoCoop, Freedom Padmashri awardee, Dr Sunitha FLO, the Women's Wing of FICCI. "Indian artisans do not Tree, Jaypore, Okhai, Itokri, Zwende If we really want to bring Krishnan, Founder of Prajwala While sharing her journey as an and Tata CLiQ. shared her experience of rescuing want charity. They are change, it cannot happen activist Dr Krishnan pointed out an Speaking at the occasion, Smt. over 33,000 survivors from sex looking for work and, if extremely heart wrenching fact that, Vasundhara Raje Scindia said, only with the government trafficking, which makes her NGO “before the pandemic there were given an opportunity they "Indian artisans do not want charity. support but each one of us Prajwala the largest anti-trafficking around 40% of the girl child sold by will do a very good job." They are looking for work and, if needs to take responsibility shelter in the world. their family members which has now given an opportunity they will do a of our actions. We are the “If we really want to bring change, it increased to 65%”. very good job." one who can bring the cannot happen only with the Riya Chhabra, Chairperson, FICCI FLO Past President Neeta Boochra government support but each one of change in the society by FLO Indore Chapter was the Day Covid 19 left millions of artisans also addressed the session. Alka us needs to take responsibility of our teaching values and correct Chair for the event. stranded with no access to raw Batra, Governing Body Member, actions. We are the one who can bring Viewing link: material, markets and basic FLO was the Day Chair for the event. upbringing to our coming the change in the society by teaching https://www.facebook.com/FicciLad sustenance. This prompted diverse Viewing link: generation values and correct upbringing to our iesOrganisation/videos/3560415444 organisations and professionals from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= coming generation” said Dr Krishnan 009019/ the creative sectors to come together _d7xdx3WTKo at the 'Eminent Women Series' of as a movement to provide relief and opportunities for respectful aid. FLO & Creative Dignity are addressing this by empowering artisans from West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Puducherry, Kerala, Bihar to reach customers digitally, giving them access to new markets and livelihood opportunities. The highlight of the event was the FLO - Creative Dignity Artisan Fair, which was inaugurated by Smt. Vasundhara Raje Scindia, National Vice President, BJP & Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, who was the Chief Guest. Enabling craft enthusiasts to purchase from artisans directly, this initiative brings together hundreds of artisans, many of whom had no previous access to ecommerce to find a place with premier artisan FLO THIS MONTH | 2 3 | FLO THIS MONTH This Month This Month FLO FLO NATIONAL FLO FLO NATIONAL Restoring Lives & Livelihoods : FLO- Creative Dignity Eminent Women Series 5: Initiative to Support and Promote Distressed Artisans Human Trafficking: Interaction with Padmashri September 18 2020 Dr Sunitha Krishnan, Founder- NGO Prajwala & Social Activist. September 8, 2020 ecommerce sites - GoCoop, Freedom Padmashri awardee, Dr Sunitha FLO, the Women's Wing of FICCI. "Indian artisans do not Tree, Jaypore, Okhai, Itokri, Zwende If we really want to bring Krishnan, Founder of Prajwala While sharing her journey as an and Tata CLiQ. shared her experience of rescuing want charity. They are change, it cannot happen activist Dr Krishnan pointed out an Speaking at the occasion, Smt. over 33,000 survivors from sex looking for work and, if extremely heart wrenching fact that, Vasundhara Raje Scindia said, only with the government trafficking, which makes her NGO “before the pandemic there were given an opportunity they "Indian artisans do not want charity. support but each one of us Prajwala the largest anti-trafficking around 40% of the girl child sold by will do a very good job." They are looking for work and, if needs to take responsibility shelter in the world. their family members which has now given an opportunity they will do a of our actions. We are the “If we really want to bring change, it increased to 65%”. very good job." one who can bring the cannot happen only with the Riya Chhabra, Chairperson, FICCI FLO Past President Neeta Boochra government support but each one of change in the society by FLO Indore Chapter was the Day Covid 19 left millions of artisans also addressed the session. Alka us needs to take responsibility of our teaching values and correct Chair for the event. stranded with no access to raw Batra, Governing Body Member, actions. We are the one who can bring Viewing link: material, markets and basic FLO was the Day Chair for the event. upbringing to our coming the change in the society by teaching https://www.facebook.com/FicciLad sustenance. This prompted diverse Viewing link: generation values and correct upbringing to our iesOrganisation/videos/3560415444 organisations and professionals from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= coming generation” said Dr Krishnan 009019/ the creative sectors to come together _d7xdx3WTKo at the 'Eminent Women Series' of as a movement to provide relief and opportunities for respectful aid. FLO & Creative Dignity are addressing this by empowering artisans from West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Puducherry, Kerala, Bihar to reach customers digitally, giving them access to new markets and livelihood opportunities. The highlight of the event was the FLO - Creative Dignity Artisan Fair, which was inaugurated by Smt. Vasundhara Raje Scindia, National Vice President, BJP & Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, who was the Chief Guest. Enabling craft enthusiasts to purchase from artisans directly, this initiative brings together hundreds of artisans, many of whom had no previous access to ecommerce to find a place with premier artisan FLO THIS MONTH | 2 3 | FLO THIS MONTH This Month This Month FLO FLO NATIONAL FLO NATIONAL FLO FLO- NRL Webinar on ASPIRATIONAL INDIA ROLE OF W MEN ENTREPRENEURS IN INDIA'S TRANSFORMATION September 22, 2020 Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, during a webinar organised “The idea of an aspirational them about the procurement and Chakraborty - Chief Manager ( IHP). by FLO, on “Aspirational India- Role India is deeply linked to our services cycle followed in NRL and of Women Entrepreneurs in India's This webinar was a part of Mr. R S Ramesh, Chief General the benefits that they can avail. spirit of entrepreneurship; Transformation.” t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n s ' Manager, State Bank of India, Local This webinar was a part of the Head Office, Dr. Avinash Choudhary, this spirit is a driving force The session elaborated on the role of continuous efforts to help organizations' continuous efforts to Zonal General Manager, NSIC, which will turn the wheels women entrepreneurs as an women entrepreneurs take help women entrepreneurs take Guwahati and Ms Vidhi Khandelwal, o f I n d i a n e c o n o m y , important, untapped source of a d v a n t a g e o f G O I ' s advantage of GOI's mandate of Asst. Relationship Manager, RXIL propelling it to greater economic growth and also have an important role as key drivers in mandate of purchase of 3% purchase of 3% from women also made presentation on heights” from women entrepreneurs. entrepreneurs. opportunities for women India's transformation journey. Shri S K Barua Managing Director, entrepreneurs provided by their The session was moderated by Day Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) respective institutions.