Meemansa- Join the upcycled revolution

1. MEEMANSA

2. MEEMANSA ➢Meemansa has been successfully converting production waste from their own garment manufacturing operations into cloth bags (Jholas), aiming to become a zero waste company. ➢Trains women who are from recourse poor backgrounds to stitch and tailor good quality cloth bags. Has a buy-back model so that trainees start earning immediately and the bags are then sold ahead to other retail entities.

3. BEHIND THE STORY To Priyanka, ‘giving back’ holds personal meaning, in a world where she has experienced the compassion of strangers who helped save many lives, including her own. In 1993, she survived a plane crash, one amongst sixty three survivors, out of a hundred and eighteen people on board. This experience and its aftermath changed Priyanka’s approach to life. While her story is enduringly inspirational for those who know it, she herself is a practical person, with a determined persistence. Meemansa’s livelihoods project was born because Priyanka found it diffcult to live with the waste she felt she was creating through her factory production. Sold by the kilo, it would go into landflls. She decided she would address the issue, and thus was born Meemansa’s livelihoods project. MEEMANSA MEEMANSA

4.  WHAT IS UPCYCLING? Up cycling Up cycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value. MEEMANSA MEEMANSA

5. MEEMANSA HIGHLIGHTS OF MEEMANSA MODEL ➢ The raw material is provided free by Meemansa. ➢A woman who has perhaps never touched a sewing machine, receives training under a Meemansa master tailor for a month. Skill training and quality products are assured. ➢The bags are simple to make and an enterprising person can make many of them in a single day. ➢ Trainees begin to earn from Day 1 of training. ➢There is a product buy back by Meemansa. ➢This bag is not made of garbage or recycled materials. This is factory left over, brand new cloth. ➢There is potential for elevation of skill sets. Some trainees improve their skills and make value added products, such as compartment bags and iPad, Kindle, or yoga mat covers. ➢If some women don’t want to stitch but would like to sell the bags, profits are shared equally. ➢ The project is scalable and can be set up anywhere in India. ➢There is potential to train persons with disabilities, keeping in mind the type and degree of impairment or disability and the requirements of the task.

6. MEEMANSA MEEMANSA “The Meemansa model is environment friendly and generates income for women. It has the potential for expansion. Our experience has shown that when women earn, it has a positive impact on the education of their children, on nutrition and on the health of the family members. It provides an opportunity for families and communities to question and challenge unequal and discriminatory practices. Priyanka is amongst one of the most amazing women I have met - so full of energy and passion, rooted in practicality. iPartner India is proud to collaborate with Meemansa and Priyanka.” - Sumedha Sharma. Country Director, iPartner India

7. Three Key Points of Three Key Points of ❖ WOMEN EMPOWERMENT ❖ ECOFRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT ❖ WASTE OT WEALTH

8. Women Empowerment BAGS FOR WOMEN CONFIDENCE By buying this bag, you are supporting a poor woman to earn a livelihood. You are helping her take the next step towards economic autonomy and strengthening her voice.

9. REPLACE PLASTIC- ENVIRONMENT By buying this bag, you are saving the environment, as this will replace plastic and paper bags. Buy and gift these bags to local vegetable vendors, grocery shops, friends and family

10. MAKE ZERO WASTE ENVIRONMENT Conserves resources and minimizes pollution. Zero waste promotes social equity and builds community, supports a local circular economy and creates jobs.

11. A WOMAN IS A FULL CIRCLE WITHIN HER IS THE POWER TO CREATE NATURE AND TRANSFORM MEEMANSA MEEMANSA