Sankalp - Paperbags

Objective
Develop a self sustainable business for a socially challenged group (Blind/Old women) working (or inclined to work) in making a creative product (paper bags) as a means of livelihood.

Why Paper bags?
After recent deluge in Mumbai, need for an alternative to plastic packaging was aptly demonstrated. We studied the market and found that market has matured to make a shift for paper bags. It also requires a simple process to make a paper bag, which can easily be manufactured by a socially challenged group like blind.

Progress so far:
Started with an article in Mumbai Mirror, about Blind students making creative paper bags.

We visited Victoria Memorial School for blind, Tardeo and found that blind are very efficient in making paper bags. Thus we developed an understanding with them under which we will use their expertise in teaching other blind to manufacture paper bags.

Customer requirement was identified through talks with potential customers like Pantaloon. Revealed the challenges involved in establishing this business.


Methodology
Our project will be phased in two phases
We will proceed by identifying a community which can be benifited with this plan identifying and developing market for paperbags
1) By making people more aware about the use of papaerbags
2) By roping in retail store (crossword, jweallery shops..) to purchase these paperbags
3) By identifying various potential customers that is, retailer or shops where product sold is of higher value and light in weight.

Next Step
Identify a group working or inclined to work in making paper bags.