Arti Rana is transforming lives in a different manner; she is educating Tharu women in the nearby villages located along the border of Uttar Pradesh with Nepal, to make beautiful handicrafts. A handloom weaver and social entrepreneur. She has trained more than 800 women and initiated 150 self-help group (SHG). Her cooperative which is called Tharu Hath Karga Gharelu Udyog assists women to make money and earn respect. Her inspiring work won Arti the supreme android Ki women award, the Nari Shakti Puraskar, in 2022, the highest woman-centred civilian award in India. Her biography explains how the vision of one woman can transform a community.
New Path
Arti Rana is a Tharu woman who was born and brought up in Chandan Chowki at Lakhimpur Kheri, who had to struggle with issues that included early marriage and fewer opportunities. She availed a training program with a National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) in 2015 and was able to acquire new skills even though her family opposed her. She began imparting skills to other Tharu women on carpet weaving, basket and bag weaving and organized Tharu Hath Karga Gharelu Udyog cooperative. Her team enhanced their looms with the assistance of World-Wide Fund for nature and it was easier and better to operate. Before long, Arti made hundreds of women work on her cooperative and earned 10,000-12,000 rupees a month.
Building Strong Communities
Her SHG groups train the women on how to save, run businesses and assist one another. Where Tharu women used to stay at home in villages they are now the shining examples as entrepreneurs. A working woman like Arti enables families to get good food, education and health facilities. Traditions are also being kept alive as in sikki grass crafts employed in rituals are preserved in her cooperative. In showing others her talents, Arti encourages young girls to aspire something great and also denies the societies the myth that women cannot do anything without cooperating with each other.
What’s the Future Ahead?
The vision of Arti is making Tharu women more powerful in future. She is an award-winning woman (Awardee of Nari Shakti Puraskar, 2022, in recognition given by President Ram Nath Kovind), who is still growing her cooperative. The Kheri government facilitates her and Tharu handicrafts are advertised such as in Diwali 2024 where the items sold all over the state. Arti is creating an economy of her own where she intends on expanding her network and penetrating new markets. She demonstrates in her work that women can succeed even in adversity given a chance and with training. When Tharu women weave their craft outside the borders of UP near the UP-Nepal border, they weave hopes, prides and a better future.
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