Community Friendly Movement

Lacquer and Ankudu Wood Artisans of Etikoppaka

Etikoppaka is a rural farming village home to about 12,000 inhabitants located in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The village has also long been home to skilled artisans who use wood from the local ankudu tree to create distinctively lacquered household goods and art pieces that are sold throughout the country and exported abroad. In the latter half of the 20th century, however, demand for the wooden goods declined, causing many artisans to abandon their craft. Difficulties also arose in the production of lacquered wooden crafts because the divi-divi tree, used to produce the traditional red-colored dye, became extinct, which forced artisans to purchase more expensive synthetic dyes. The population of lacquer artisans in Etikoppaka dwindled and would have continued to do so, were it not for a handful of enterprising artisans who were intent on reviving and preserving their skills. 

Artisan Voices

Babey, widow in Uttar Pradesh: “My husband was an unskilled worker who worked in a garment export factory, earning Rs. 2,500 per month. That small amount was not sufficient to fulfill the basic needs of my family. I got regular work and a regular source of income and it happened only with the support of CFM. Because of my regular income my husband also acquired higher skills required for his trade, was promoted to supervisor and got Rs. 6,000 per month. Now I earn a fix income of Rs. 4,500 per month, which is enough to feed the family and to provide better education to my 2 children.”

Lacquered Ankudu Woodcrafts

The artisans of Etikoppaka traditionally use natural dyes in their products, although environmental pressures have caused them to begin to use some synthetic colors. Natural dyes for the lacquer used by Etikoppaka's artisans are derived from various trees and plants, which are powdered and boiled to form a thick lather. The concentrate is cooled, filtered, and mixed with lacquer that has been slowly heated in an open oven. The colored lacquer is then stretched, cooled, and cut into small sticks. The lacquer is now ready to be applied to a chiseled and sanded ankudu wood product, such as a toy, bowl, or bangle. Dried leaves of the mogali plant are rubbed on the surface of the wood, which spreads the color evenly and gives a glossy finish.

Region: South Asia

Capital: New Delhi

Population: 1,173,108,018, 2nd highest in the world (2010)

Size: Slightly more than one-third the size of the U.S.

Languages: English is a subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the most widely spoken language and primary tongue of 41% of the people; there are 14 other official languages

Major religion(s): Hindu (80.5%), Muslim (13.4%), Christian (2.3%), Sikh (1.9%), other

Literacy: Total 61%; Male 73.4%; Female 47.8%

Population below poverty line: 42% (2011)

Maternal mortality ratio: Lifetime risk of death in childbirth 1 in 70

Economic growth rate: 6.5%, 12th highest in the world

Economic participation and opportunity: 127th worst country for women (out of 128)

Did You Know: The classic children's game Snakes and Ladders was created in the 13th century by Indian poet Gyandev! It was known there by various names, including Parama Padam and Mokshapat. Originally, the ladders represented virtues and the snakes, vices.

All statistics from CIA World Factbook 2011, UNICEF, and the Global Gender Gap Report 2011

India, known to many as the world's largest democracy, has made great advancements over the last decade. The economy is booming, the city of Mumbai is a global market hub, and a middle class is growing in urban centers. However, rural poverty remains widespread, and as rural migrants flock to the cities in search of work and income, urban slums are growing quickly.

Rural Poverty and Urbanization

Rural communities throughout India face a number of challenges. Heavily dependent on agriculture, farmers and their families suffer at the hands of natural causes such as drought and human-made triggers such as unfair global trade rules. Many farmers face crippling debts and have little opportunity for upward mobility. India's rapid population growth has become a burden on the country's environment and natural resources. The rural poor often choose to migrate to urban centers in search of work, leading to overcrowding in cities and deteriorating infrastructure in rural areas. Once living in urban areas, these migrants face myriad challenges looking for employment, finding shelter, and learning the language of the new region. Many continue to live without access to clean water or toilets. Health and sanitation services remain rudimentary in impoverished areas; because of this, India has the highest prevalence of tuberculosis of any nation and the third largest number of annual deaths from AIDS.

Women

India is also known for a history of discrimination against women. The prevalence of infanticide, the practice of killing girl babies, has created a gender imbalance in the population: 940 females to 1000 males. Women have less access to education and health services. Nearly three-quarters of men in India are literate, but only 47.8% of the women. This impacts women's ability to work, earn a stable income, and live independently. As India's economy improves, women in urban, upper-class communities are receiving greater access to education and human rights. Women in rural communities continue to be left behind, forced to remain in traditional gender roles.