Lucknow, November 2, 2020 : Mirzapur city of Uttar Pradesh is all set to make the state proud across the globe as the ‘Japan Carpet Fair’ will be exhibiting the world-famous foot-mats and wall hangings that are being made by the women of a Self-Help Group named ‘Gareeb Prerana Swayam Sahayta Samuh’ in the Khajuri village of the district.

The Rugs and mats weaved by the local artisans in Mirzapur have already grabbed accolade from across the globe for its excellence. The local weavers amalgamate new perspectives on traditional crafts with state-of-the-art design technology to create authentic designs and visual masterpieces that will be now be displayed on a global platform. The stunning work is infused with vibrant colours and soft lustre.

The organisers of the fair were so impressed by the talents of these women that they invited the entire group to Japan and gave them an opportunity to sell their products at the Japan Carpet Fair which will be held in 2021.

Director of Poor Motivation Self-Help Group, Afsana Begum said, “The group is making the business of Rs. 2.5 lakh per year. The women have also started to sell wall hanging, foot mats, and show-pieces across the state which also benefitted the ODOP scheme launched by the Uttar Pradesh government.”

This is just one SHG, while thousand of such SHG’s were created during Corona times to provide employment to women in Uttar Pradesh.

“The local weavers of the handicraft product here inherit the century old legacy, which should be sustained. We are consistently engaged in providing a platform to these women through various programs. Not only the group under the National Rural Livelihood Mission has made themselves financially stable but gave a major boost to the carpet business,” said Ramesh Priyadarshi, District Mission Director.

Afsana and her team have always made Uttar Pradesh as well as the nation proud of their talent. It is to be mentioned that earlier, the handicrafts of Mirzapur have also been appreciated in Kashmir, Lucknow, and Hyderabad.