KOCHI: Eight years after its launch, Karthumbi brand umbrellas, manufactured by the tribal women of Attappadi in Palakkad, have hit the market this monsoon targeting the techie community and the college and school-goers.
Like previous years, Progressive Techies, a socio-cultural wing of techies at Infopark, is leading in marketing and distributing the umbrellas in their community. Around 50-60 tribal women are involved in making Karthumbi umbrellas, and the women’s collective is a part of a social empowerment initiative by Thampu, an organisation engaged in community projects with tribal people. Peace Collective, an online community with members from different parts of the world, is also part of the initiative.
Rajendra Prasad, president of Thampu, said the organisation facilitates six months’ employment for tribal women annually by collaborating with organisations like Progressive Techies. “Unwavering support from Progressive Techies has helped empower these women by consistently providing them with a source of income yearly,” he said. For every 20-30 umbrellas made, they earn Rs 600-800 every day. The umbrellas are currently sold for Rs 350-390 on many e-commerce websites. This year, Thampu has expanded its impact by training 360 women in umbrella making, with 50 women actively involved in the making of umbrellas. Though around 15,000 ‘Karthumbi’ umbrellas are produced on an annual basis, last year the sales dipped to 12,000 due to lack of funds. This monsoon, the collective is confident of selling 15,000-20,000 umbrellas.
Two months before the monsoon season, these women had started handcrafting umbrellas in their tribal huts after receiving raw materials from Mumbai. The umbrellas were then moved to a shared facility located in Agali and collected by organisations like Progressive Techies for marketing and distribution.
This monsoon, the collective has launched its ‘Back to School’ donation drive, a campaign that collects school supplies for the needy. “Employees from various companies purchase Karthumbi umbrellas to contribute to the ‘Back to School’ scheme,” said Nikitha, a representative of Progressive Techies. “The marketing is done by the organisation through social media. This strategy has helped Karthumbhi umbrellas gain recognition among various communities in Attappadi and Ernakulam,” said Baji, another representative of Progressive Techies.
Though catastrophic events such as the 2018 flood and the Covid pandemic briefly affected the demand for the product, Progressive Techies has succeeded in getting a market for the umbrellas through its strategic marketing techniques.
A downside of the project is that the distribution of these umbrellas, facilitated by Progressive Techies, is confined only to the Ernakulam district, with Infopark serving as the designated collection point. Still, through the years, Progressive Techies has improved Adivasi women’s standard of living. “These women are contributing to their families, their financial stability, and helping their children enhance opportunities for a better future,” said Prasad of Thambu.