Tribal women came up with an innovative idea of using turmeric and curry leaves for the natural colors and now their efforts have paid off. Five hundred candles made by a group of 18 women from a remote village at Zawar in Udaipur have already earned Rs. 1.5 Lac in few days. The specially casted aromatic candle is selling at Rs. 300 each.

From slicing of raw wax into small pieces, boiling them at a desired temperature, coloring, perfuming, wicking and packing them into beautiful candles, everything has been done by them.

The initiative was taken up by Hindustan Zinc under its rural and tribal empowerment project ‘Sakhi’ and the women were trained in the traditional art of candle making at a workshop culminated recently.

“The project had it initial hic-ups as gathering these women, who lived at distant places without proper means of transport had been difficult. Finally 18 women agreed to participate in the workshop” said Shikha Bamb, the coordinator.

To help these women commute to the Sakhi Training Center at Zawar, Hindustan Zinc arranged to pick and drop them home. The product is now receiving a good response. 1000 candles have already been booked with pre-orders and is expected to get better close to Diwali. “We made 500 candles initially that have sold. Now these women have received confirmed order worth Rs. 1.50 Lac from Rotary Club Mewar for purchasing 500 candles”, informed Pavan Kaushik, Head of Corporate Communication.

Sakhi team members Pushpa, Santosh, Madhu, Anita, Gayatri, Sugna and rest others are happy to learn this art. “We are enjoying candle making, this is exciting as it has helped us earn money” Sugna said.

Hindustan Zinc is developing various clusters like spice making, fashion garments, home-furnishing, uniform making, paper-craft, mats making, papad making and articles with jute under Sakhi project. “The products are designed in such a way that the marketing and selling part is assured within the company or sourced ones” Kaushik claimed.