Currently Shanti Hastkala has organized the following activities:

“Shanti Hastkala has a pool of volunteers who work with the villagers in and around Magod (Valsad District) in guiding and assisting them in the arts of making earthern lamps, silk bags, card board picture frames, calendars and decorated paper bags.The main purpose of this is to enable the villagers to undertake employment / self employment within their respective village geographies. The volunteers of Shanti Hastkala comprise a mix of skills which include students, teachers, self employed professionals and even housewives and retired people. “

Teaching the crafts and supplying the materials are multi part tasks. In addition to Chideshwari, Hiral Gadhia, and Aastha Desai also contribute their time and energy regularly to the continuity and strength of the Shanti Hastkala project.  First, there is a demonstration given – showing how the item is to be made. Practice materials, such as newspaper, are left at the village for them to work with.

One of the Shanti Hastkala coordinators will return the next week and leave with the villagers the real art supplies and materials for the crafts to be completed.  They have produced beautiful, small silk bags, picture frames, calendars, decorated paper bags lovely enough to use for gift giving and many other beautiful things.

The villagers are very poor, there is no lighting after dark and sometimes not enough food. They do not read or write. The intention and the result of this project are to help them to feel more able to support themselves.  Ten or twenty dollars in India can still make a large difference and even the small gifts add up.  We will update the website with Shanti Hastkala items that are for sale.  All of the earnings from the sale of the items made by the Shanti Hastkala go directly back to the villagers.

Tailoring classes are conducted every day to assist the villagers in the art of sewing. Some of the villagers come to learn basic  sewing while there are many who come to enhance their existing sewing skills. The sewing classes follow the syllabus prescribed by the state government for its Diploma students.

At present there are 3 teachers teaching Stitching with following aims:

• Following prescribed Syllabus & preparing the students for Government Diploma exam.
• Teaching Housewives & students with a aim to help them earn a livelihood locally & alternatively help obtain work for them from other towns.

Computer Classes: Coordinator Mr. Sunil

Currently students of Shanti Vidya Mandir are taught Computer basics along with some knowledge of English & use of Internet.

Classes for Higher standard students from schools in surrounding villages are in process of starting.