THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Today, more women are breaking free from the four walls of their house and venture into something new, where they express themselves in their desired field. Even, rural women started analysing their strengths and opportunities and thus reshaping their destiny.
‘Sankalp Creative Ventures’ is a women empowerment drive aimed at promoting women’s creative skills by giving them a platform through exhibitions and workshops.“I am basically from a different profession. I was always interested in creative art but lacked exposure. This inspired me to start something that will help women come out of their shell and provide a platform for them. Some of the products are far superior and unique from what we see in our market and it must be promoted and that is what I do,” said Priya Menon, CEO of Sankalp Creative Ventures.
Titled ‘Crafts and Weaves’, Sankalp is all set to organise an exhibition at the Rotary Bal Bhavan, Panampilly Nagar, Kochi, on May 23 and 24. This will set a platform for nearly fifty women artists and entrepreneurs from across the country under one roof and is open for public from 10.00 am to 8.30 pm. The event will be inaugurated by Kochi Deputy Mayor B Bhadra.
The two-day event features exhibits including readymade garments, paintings and Kidswear, designer sarees, Nilgiris Toda Tribal embroidery, eco-friendly and designer bags, handmade earrings and Lambadi tribal embroidery from Tamil Nadu. Priya Menon has been conducting such exhibitions in Palakkad for the past four years and this is her first event in Kochi.
“I chose Kochi because this place accommodates people from various lifestyle and cultures. People here are more responsive to new things,” she said. “I reach out to such groups and women through social networking sites and Facebook is my life-saver,” she said.
Sankalp believes in a friendly and open environment and hence the exhibits and the participants are not segregated into cubicles. This time Sankalp is providing a couple of free stalls for groups like Kudumbasree and a Hyderabad-based NGO ‘Kriti,’ which is a social initiative group for the underprivileged, abused women and children.
“I do this out of my passion and my interest drives me to do it again. But I wish our laws were more women-friendly, especially for such women,” said Priya.