Day 8 ACT and Khamir Foundation

On our 7th day, we went with Mr Gaurav from Arid Communities and Technologies (ACT) on a water walk to learn about the geological features of the Hamirsar Catchment as well as what ACT does. ACT plans to revitalise the use of groundwater in Bhuj by teaching the locals the importance of watersheds among others, bringing back the self-reliance that was present 400 years ago.

(Mr Gaurav Parmar explaining the geographical features of Bhuj Catchment to the team)

A collective effort is required to conserve and manage the water use in the region in these arid lands because water is scarce, yet essential to both the livelihood and survival of the locals. By working together with the locals, the responsibility will be shared with the community, returning the ownership back to them. Doing so also builds solidarity among the locals. The call for action to manage water is similar to Singapore’s water predicament when we relied on Malaysia for water, making the future of water supply in Singapore uncertain. Hence, we had to look for another source of drinking water, either through innovation or conservation.

Following the water walk, we visited Khamir Foundation to learn about their works as well as for lunch! Mr Harish Hurmade gave us a brief introduction to the organization before dividing us into 5 small groups to try out the various crafts such as pottery, tie-dye, leather art, Kachchh weaving and recycled plastic weaving. Many of us thought that making the crafts would be simple because the artisans were able to do the crafts with speed and precision. However, we were so wrong after we had our hands on doing the crafts! The experience and practice the artisans have had over the many years is something we could not replicate in an instance. This activity made us appreciate their crafts more as it was something that was made with a lot of sweat and tears.

(Amirah having her hands on pottery)

(Our completed pots, cups and bowls!)

We also had an opportunity to interact with the artisans to know more about the challenges they face and their life stories. An artisan shared that she is thankful for Khamir for helping her regain control of her life when she was having a tough period. The work of Khamir has helped many artisans grow and achieve a better quality of life. Moreover, Khamir’s innovation such as recycled plastic weaving not only brings about new forms of trade, but also retains the culture of such traditional crafts. On a personal note, we are glad to know that there are such organizations looking out for the marginalised communities. While creating a viable market is important for the future of this industry, it is also important to remember the people behind the works. Helping them with their livelihood and further progression of the crafts is an important aspect that should not be neglected.

We ended the day with a nice dinner at Hotel Prince Residency before heading back to our hotel to rest.