Masauli tehsil, situated adjacent to Baragaon village, district Barabanki is one of prominent home to handloom weavers. Here, most the families rely primarily on handloom weaving as their source of livelihood. Taranum’s family is one rare family headed by five female traditional weavers in the village of Masauli. Out of five male membersin the
family, one is engaged in allied weaving activities like- dying, preparing yarns etc while the females command three looms in the house. Taranum, thirty-six years old, mother of three,mostly weaves viscous scarfs and stoles alone on a thirty-six inches loom.
Depending upon flow of work, her average monthly income is 4000/- to 5000/-based on typical wage rates provided by middlemen of the handloom weaving industry. Her husband is a daily wage labourer without any stable source of income. Amidst all uncertainties, she is determined of securing a bright future for her children thereby supporting her eldest son who is seventeen years old, in taking driving lessons in the hope for employment. Both her children of age twelve and six years respectively, are enrolled in nearby government school. In order to improve her economic condition for the betterment of her children’s development Taranum is considering working under project Baragaon Weaves, she believes there lies apossibilityto grow with stable work flow and fair wages. We at Baragaon Weaves try our best to identify and work with many other women like Taranum who are determined, strong-headed and confident about supporting their family alone using their handloom weaving skills. Such women are assets to the handloom weaving industry as well as the society on whole.
