Who is Padukas?


Padukas Women's Art Workshop has been changing India's rural women's lives from the past 10 years through teaching handicrafts skills, creating quality products, learning marketing, and introducing to designers and buyers from around the world.
Padukas is situated in the tribal forest area two hours north of Mumbai and brings opportunity to women who are living far from the beneficial infrastructure of modern India. Tribal women work hard to provide nourishment and comfort to their families: They collect water at the well or local river 3-8 times a day, collect fire wood for an hour or more a day to cook food on a simple three brick stove, and get up early to wash clothes in the local river-all before the family goes off to work and school. Afterwards, some of them have to go find work for themselves. Most of the jobs in our area require hard labor, such as farming, brick making or construction. 

Padukas now employs 35 women full time, and another 20 part time by making and selling its beautiful handicrafts. By purchasing here at Padukas Artisans, we can employ more women, and therefore, benefit more lives. At present we are about to expand to two more villages teaching skills to make Padukas handicrafts. 

Explore our unique, handcrafted products on these web pages. Each piece is lovingly made by our women who had no previous knowledge of stitching. Educating and creating jobs is a way for them to express their creativity and earn an income that positively changes the lives of their families. Many of our ladies, for example, are now able to send their children to preschool and beyond to give them a brighter, more successful future. We appreciate your support! 

    

Padukas Artisans at Work

We believe that there is an artist hidden in every individual. Every member at padukas has the freedom to express themselves through their designs. Each piece of art you touch is a representation of their individuality.  The focus of every artisan at padukas is to deliver a well crafted, exquisite piece to adorn your house.