Women on Wings - Latest news

Jaipur Rugs wins Carpet Design Award 2012

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:23:14 +0100

Women on Wings' customer Jaipur Rugs won a Carpet Design Award in the category Best Modern Design at Domotex in Hannover, Germany. The Award is for 'Ruby Room Aqua', a carpet created in cooperation with Australian designer Jenny Jones. The Award was presented on 15 January at Domotex, the world’s leading trade fair for floor coverings. Over 211 carpets from 26 countries were sent in for this prestigious Award.

Women on Wings expert Nicolette Biessels: “I worked in India last November with Jaipur Rugs on the communication plan for the Domotex fair. It’s great to see they are so successful. Winning this Award has a huge impact on the entire Jaipur Rugs team and motivates all to continue with what we are working on to further improve their business.”

You can read more about the Carpet Design Award and Domotex here.

The Award winning carpet is on the picture below.

Fabric Plus makes an ambitious start in 2012

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:34:30 +0100

Fabric Plus strives to become the largest silk supplier in India and the largest Eri silk supplier in the world within five to ten years. This was the result of a brainstorming session this week between experts José van Aken and Ronald van het Hof and the management of Fabric Plus. Currently they produce both silk and acrylic thread and choices will now need to be made in terms of investment. This ambitious target has given shape to decision making in the short and long term and will surely result in more jobs for women.

Following the last work visit – which focused on brand-building and awareness, product development and production, shop concept and visual merchandising and on the primary processes and the associated organizational structure – it is high time to get going in a commercial sense and begin working on the related sales department.

Ronald: “Taking this goal as our starting point, we discussed the various entry points of introducing a sales department: from the client, from the product and from the channel. Then we brainstormed with the management team, who came up with their own proposal for a sales department design.” The proposal they made laid the basis for a good discussion on shifting from a product-oriented organization to a customer-oriented organization. “Following this discussion, a blueprint was created for a sales department in a growing organization. This blueprint is their guide in making every single decision when it comes to deploying (new) staff in sales,” says José.

The experts were also impressed this week by the festive presentation of the book Indian Ways of Silk co-authored by Dilip Barooah, CEO of Fabric Plus. You can read more about this here.

Fabric Plus presents book 'Indian Ways of Silk'

Mon, 9 Jan 2012 22:19:05 +0100

On Saturday January 7th Women on Wings’ customer Fabric Plus celebrated the publication of “Indian Ways of Silk’. A book co-written by Dilip Barooah, CEO Fabric Plus, and Ole Zethner and Rie Koustrup from Denmark. The book is a tribute to immortal craft relating silk. It attempts to popularize Eri and Muga silk of Assam globally, with many other interesting facts of Indian silk. The celebration took place in the garden of the Fabric Plus office with many special guests and speakers.

Fabric Plus’ mission is to be the number one supplier of silk (in general) in India and the worlds largest supplier of Eri silk.

Fabindia is very positive about its collaboration with Women on Wings

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 17:18:45 +0100

Recently, an evaluation took place in Delhi of the partnership between Women on Wings and Fabindia / AMFPL. AMFPL is a subsidiary of Fabindia and stands for Artisans Micro Finance Private Limited. The COC's, Community Owned Companies, with whom Women on Wings works, are part of AMFPL.

Ellen Tacoma says about the evaluation: “Fabindia / AMFPL have experienced their collaboration with Women on Wings as very positive. And the results are evident from the substantial growth in jobs at the COCs in Jaipur and Hyderabad, with whom Women on Wings works. Fabindia / AMFPL are now entering the second phase of their development of the COCs. Currently, only the artisans who work for the COC are shareholders. In future, they want it to be possible for other people within the community to become shareholders too. The COC can use the invested money to work on improving water and health facilities, for example, for the community.”

Last November, experts from Women on Wings worked with two of the COCs: Desert Artisans Handicrafts (DAH Jaipur) in Jaipur and Krishna Weavers in Hyderabad. Matthijs Rosman and Kiki Kamsma worked with DAH Jaipur on core competencies and on the objectives of individual managers as well as those of the team as a whole. Experts Jan Engels and Jenny Hudepohl explored export opportunities with Krishna Weavers with a view to increasing production.

The collaboration between Women on Wings and the two COCs in Jaipur and Hyderabad has continued with specific focus points per COC. In addition to this, Women on Wings supports Fabindia / AMFPL on a strategic level. Ellen: “To further continue the expansion of the COCs, they will look into sales opportunities with parties other than Fabindia. Women on Wings supports Fabindia / AMFPL with the development of a vision and strategy and a two-day workshop for the directors of all 14 COCs. The workshop will take place in the spring of 2012 in India.”

Jaipur Rugs mixes tradition with modern design

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:49:28 +0100

From 40,000 to 100,000 carpet weavers in five years. The ambition at Jaipur Rugs is bursting with energy and this did not go unnoticed by expert Nicolette Biessels when she visited Jaipur Rugs in October 2010. She worked again with Jaipur Rugs last November. “This was once again a fantastic experience!” It made a lasting impression.

Nicolette explains that Jaipur Rugs employs 40,000 artisans (80% women!) across ten states in India. “They make beautiful rugs, each requiring a different kind of care and attention. At least 73 different treatments are required to create each rug. ”Agenda points at the start of November of this year included market positioning, participation in the international Domotex expo in Hannover (January 2012) and the introduction of a new collection. Nicolette: “On the first day of work, we immediately discussed the communication and organization necessary for participating in Domotex Hannover 2012. We used Skype to discuss the European publicity approach for the launch of the new CONNEXTION collection with Australian designer Jenny Jones. CONNEXTION stands for the artisan, handmade rugs from Jaipur Rugs, combined with the modern designs of Jenny Jones. Lovely!”

Nicolette also helped thinking about filling the vacancy of Brand & Communication Manager. And she started with a plan of approach to increase the involvement and connection between the weavers, the company and the brand. Nicolette worked together with Tanveen Ratti, one of the Indian Women on Wings consultants. “It’s lovely how she creates a link between India and the Netherlands. In situations when I can’t read between the lines, Tanveen ‘translates’ for me so that we understand each other. Tanveen is also a designer, so she looks at planning from that perspective too. She created new labels for all the hand-made rugs of Jaipur Rugs.”

There is currently a vacancy for a Brand & Communication Manager at Jaipur Rugs. Interested in working in India for a year? Download the job profile for more information.

Last October Jaipur Rugs won the Social Development and Equity Award at India Pride Awards 2011 for its daily efforts in connecting thousands of artisans at the bottom of the pyramid with rich markets of the world.

Market for sanitary pads in view

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 17:30:53 +0100

In 2012, Women on Wings will start a pilot production line for sanitary pads in Auroi, a village along the highway between Varanasi and Mirzapur. The market area concerns the Mirzapur district to the south of the highway. Experts Lieve Declercq and Claudia Busch were asked to identify the market in the area.

Lieve: “In November, we visited four villages with Sadhana from the Business Support Centre (BSC) in order to contact women and girls. Sadhana began the meeting by providing a comprehensive and interactive presentation about menstruation and the use of sanitary pads. Through her we were then able to ask our questions about their knowledge and experience of menstruation and sanitary pads. “The experts also visited a high school, enabling them to reach about 350 girls aged 12 to 18 in one go. Claudia: “It was very interesting to see how girls of that age think about this subject.” The experts indicate that women and girls have very little idea of what menstruation actually is. There is very little information passed from mother to daughter. And the subject doesn’t come up at school either. Girls are more ‘modern’ thanks to their education and TV programs and attempt to influence their mothers to use sanitary pads rather than strips of material. Lieve: “Yet, only 10% of the women and girls in this region actually use sanitary pads.”

Lieve and Claudia visited a variety of small shops along the highway to talk with the owners about products, purchasing, margins, customers and uses. Lieve: “This helped us to get a good idea of the distribution channels. Sanitary pads are available to buy in these shops. However, there are simply no shops in the villages in the countryside and the women very seldom leave the village if at all.” Claudia: “We showed various products in both the villages and at the school and we noted the reactions to, for example, packaging and color, so that we can adjust our own product design. Just as in the Netherlands, women and girls aren’t exactly happy about walking through the streets holding a pack of sanitary pads. So they will be first wrapped carefully in paper and then put into a plastic bag.” Something that made an impression on both experts was a comment made by a teacher about girls who have their period: “They come well managed to school”.

Wie wordt onze nieuwe webbouwer?

Fri, 9 Dec 2011 12:36:40 +0100

Na vier jaar is Women on Wings nu toe aan een nieuwe website waarin social media een centrale rol spelen. Onze experts in online communicatie hebben de wensen voor de nieuwe website onderzocht. Daaruit is een online visie en een ambitieus concept ontstaan. De ruwe schetsen voor het interactie ontwerp liggen er. Het ontbreekt ons echter aan de benodigde expertise op het gebied van webdesign, webtechniek en webbeheer.

Welke webbouwer met ervaring in open source contentmanagementsystemen (zoals wordpress of drupal) wil, bevlogen door sociaal ondernemerschap, ons helpen deze nieuwe site realiseren?
Women on Wings heeft maar een doel: 1 miljoen banen creëren voor vrouwen op het platteland van India. Dit doen we door business te ontwikkelen met en kennis beschikbaar te stellen aan Indiase bedrijven die werkgelegenheid creëren voor vrouwen op het platteland. Op dit moment leveren zo´n 50 experts zowel vanuit Nederland als in India een bijdrage aan Women on Wings. Dat doen zij om niet.

Neem voor meer informatie contact op met:
Irma van Zand: 06 17 23 2390 of irma@f-irma.nl
Jacqueline Duerinck: 06 222 429 52 of jacqueline@jduerinck.nl

Jharcraft, a new customer with power and passion

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 16:51:32 +0100

Great news! In mid-November co-founder Ellen Tacoma signed an agreement for collaboration with Jharcraft. The great inspiration behind Jharcraft is managing director Dhirendra Kumar, who co-signed the agreement. The management team consists of enthusiastic, passionate and inquisitive young people. They all have one common goal: to realize the mission of creating opportunity and changing lives in rural areas.

After the initial introduction, two short films were shown: “The Silent Revolution” and “Incredible Journey”. Ellen then gave a presentation about Women on Wings. As expert Ronald van het Hof enthusiastically explains: “After that everything happened very quickly. The partnership was sealed with the signing and stamping of the contract. All of the management members signed the contract as well. We are all convinced that this partnership is going to be a great success. ” Ronald explains that Jharcraft was well prepared and had already identified a number of potential problem areas. “We visited one of their shops and immediately recognized the problems and pitfalls. They now know what they can work on this month.” Ellen is sure that there are many opportunities to give further input to the mission and for creating jobs for women in the rural areas of the state of Jharkhand. Ellen: “Producers won’t be the problem; the greatest challenge is creating and finding sales opportunities.” Ronald: “It has a lot to do with retail and that makes my heart beat faster. The ideas about concepts, franchising in urban areas and in the countryside have all been discussed. Such energy!”

Following their visit to the shop, Ronald and Ellen gave a short presentation on visual merchandising and explained the design conditions that the new planned shop would have to meet. They also looked at sales figures. Ronald: “They are delighted to be able to get to work straight away. They knew that some aspects needed improvement, but thanks to our advice they can start to move forward. And haven’t they just! An hour later we heard that two people had already been set to work to manage the shop trajectory over the next six months.”

Women on Wings and Jharcraft had a fieldvisit together to Urban Haat (100 km from Ranchi) where a centre of livelihood for artisans and womengroups is established. Training, design development and production of leather, paper, dhokra (brass), textile and bamboo products takes place here. You can see and feel the empowerment of the 12.000 women who are associated with this unique project.

Explosive growth at Fabric Plus requires big steps forward

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 16:31:07 +0100

Fabric Plus is seeing explosive growth, which brings with it advantages and disadvantages. The founders, Dilip Barooah and Nahata CS, discussed their ‘growing pains’ with Women on Wings. During the meeting it soon became clear that the need to change a few fundamental things had become very urgent indeed.

On the same November afternoon, Ellen Tacoma and expert Ronald van het Hof worked on an organizational structure in response to the team session that had taken place that morning. Ellen: “We proposed to Dilip and Nahata an organizational model that would make responsibilities, management and processes clearer and more comprehensive. They decided to sleep on it. On Sunday morning we discussed it once more and they embraced the proposal with open arms, taking the opportunity to arrange fixed communication points internally and with Women on Wings.” The proposal was then discussed in an open session with the team. Ronald: “It just went brilliantly! Thanks to this company culture, huge leaps forward can be implemented.”

The following day they visited the factory where the spinning and weaving is carried out. A session with 15 employees took place. Ellen: “We wanted to get to the bottom of what their motivation was to work here and what Fabric Plus must and can do to recruit more employees, and in so doing to create more jobs. We were met with a surprising openness and some great ideas. This led to an immediate action point: a regular weekly meeting with a small group of employees about what’s going well and what needs to be worked on.” Both Ellen and Ronald loved being able to work with this organization. Ronald: “They are highly aware of the threats and the opportunities and are open to tackling these.” Ellen: “A hugely motivated management team and an inspirational direction team are the keys to success. It’s fantastic that the support of Women on Wings really is an added value to this.” The team will plan from now on a monthly meeting to monitor the organizational change and progress in business. To intensify our collaboration Women on Wings will have a bi-monthly meeting with the team in Guwahati.

Indian consultants: valuable connection between Indian customers and Dutch experts

Wed, 7 Dec 2011 16:14:23 +0100

It is the 10th of November. Tanveen Ratti, Rupa Girish and Prachi Grover share their knowledge about India and their specific use of Dutch experts. This is important, as they increasingly work alongside experts on projects for Women on Wings.

The three consultants worked all day with Ellen, Maria and Ineke in New Delhi to review the activities and discuss future plans. Throughout the year, the team Skyped each other every other week, but working together for the day gives a real sense of teamwork; a team that will be expanded next year with one or two Indian consultants, something necessary to guide the expansion of the work in India.

And what do the consultants think of their work? Every single one of them is enthusiastic. Tanveen: “This year, I worked alongside several experts for various customers. Working for Women on Wings is very versatile. This year I was able to concentrate on the gift for the Friends.” Rupa: “I see great future opportunities and am happy about the connection between the business world in India and Women on Wings. I am proud of the growth of Women on Wings.” Prachi: “I have been able to carry out a great deal of research and analysis for the sanitary pads business and have been working with expert Karen de Loos on the development of the Akzonobel stencil kit. It’s been particularly challenging due to collaboration with various stakeholders, but the results are clear: the kit will be piloted in December in a number of Fabindia shops.”

Sadhna wins Indian Entrepreneur Award

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 10:56:16 +0100

Sadhna, Women on Wings' first customer, won the Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards (CMEA) 2011 in the “Community Owned Enterprise Category”. The award will be presented on Monday, 5th December 2011 in Mumbai. CMEA is an endeavour to recognize the spirit of enterprise that has taken people from poverty to a life of dignity. This year was the eighth year of the Awards and Citi India received an overwhelming response with over 800 applications from 17 states across the country, of these 40 were from Community Owned Enterprises (COE's).

In accordance with the laid down processes, all applications received went through preliminary short listing, followed by on-site evaluation of the shortlisted applicants. Basis the application forms and information from the field visits, top 30 applicants of which 4 were COE, were presented to the Governing Council on November 14th-15th, 2011. The Governing Council, an independent council, comprising of experts and representatives from public, private, financial institutes and academia, selected Sadhna as the winner from amongst the 4 shortlisted COE applicants.

Gezocht: co�rdinator Business Support Centre die half jaar in India wil werken

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:10:12 +0100

Women on Wings is betrokken bij een nieuw project dat van groot belang is voor de verbetering van de hygiëne en het welzijn van Indiase vrouwen op het platteland: het ‘sanitary pad programme’. Dit programma is een 'joint venture' van IKEA Foundation, UNICEF, UNDP en Women on Wings. De doelstelling is de hygiëne voor vrouwen op het Indiase platteland te verbeteren door het gebruik van sanitary pads. Het Sanitary Pad Programma richt zich op de ontwikkeling en realisatie van business units waar lokaal maandverband wordt geproduceerd en verkocht voor en door vrouwen op het Indiase platteland.

Om deze business units duurzaam en effectief op te zetten en te laten functioneren, wordt er in Varanasi een Business Support Centre (BSC) opgericht dat 1 oktober 2012 open gaat; een campus waar de ideale productie unit komt te staan en waar ondernemers en hun team getraind worden in alle business facetten. Voor alle facetten van deze business heeft Women on Wings een team van 20 Nederlandse experts die regelmatig in India zijn.

Voor de begeleiding van alle activiteiten vòòr opening van het BSC, zoeken wij een coördinator die gedurende een half jaar (december 2011 - juni 2012) de schakel is tussen de Nederlandse experts en het team in India en samen met hen acties opvolgt, bezoeken van Nederlandse experts voorbereidt en het overzicht behoudt of alle activiteiten volgens planning verlopen.

In de bijlage vind je het volledige profiel van de coördinator BSC.

Co-founder Maria van der Heijden speaks at TEDxDelft today

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:21:19 +0100

Today, November 7th, Women on Wings co-founder Maria van der Heijden, speaks at TEDxDelft. You can watch Maria's TEDxTALK here.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized. (Subject to certain rules and regulations.)

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDx[name], where x = independently organized TED event. At our TEDx[name] event, TEDTalks video and live speakers will combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.

Craftsmanship in the hands of future generations

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:08:46 +0100

Delicate saris, unique tunics, beautiful bags, colorful shawls. Every piece with its own uniquely woven and embroidered patterns. These are artisan creations made according to ancient tradition. It is Shrujan that makes and sells these handmade products, and at least 3500 women in the region (Kutch, Gujarat state) make a living with it. Shrujan recently began working with Women on Wings. And for good reason.

Edwin van den Brand: “The aim of the partnership is to create even more jobs for women in the region so that these women are guaranteed an income. Thanks to an increase in production, the knowledge and skills required to master these authentic weaving and embroidery techniques are retained and younger generations can be taught this unique craft.”

Experts Edwin van den Brand and Annet van den Hoek spent a week working with Shrujan’s management, establishing their aims through workshops and interviews with the MT, production staff, shop workers and women in the villages. The goal is to strengthen the organization, introduce market-oriented products and optimize the production process. They also examined the portfolio and decided to launch new products each month. Thanks to more efficient work methods, the income of current employees will increase. Over the next few months, the experts will monitor the agreements from the Netherlands, evaluate the results in Kutch and take follow-up steps if necessary.

Business Support Centre established in Varanasi

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 14:04:41 +0100

A great location has recently been found for the Business Support Centre (BSC) in Varanasi. Legal matters are currently being investigated as regards the on-site building options. In the meantime, a local architect has begun working on the concept design of the BSC buildings.

Women on Wings experts Hans Vermeulen and Jan Hofman, along with the BSC team from Varanasi, recently visited a sanitary pad production unit in Trichy. Based on this visit, a quote was requested from a selected machine supplier for the required equipment, and the raw materials of various suppliers were inspected. The next step is to set up the pilot location and make a more detailed outline of the BSC specifications.

Women on Wings is working on setting up a sanitary pad program in rural India. In time, new jobs will be created for women in production and sales. In order to teach women how to run their own business unit, a Business Support Centre has been set up in Varanasi. UNICEF, UNDP and the IKEA Foundation have been collaborating with Women on Wings on this program. In addition to their economic merits, the use of sanitary pads also has an important social and hygienic impact on women. It means that girls can attend school all month and women can continue to work, thereby guaranteeing more income for their families.

Khamir repositions and revitalizes the creative industry in Kutch

Mon, 7 Nov 2011 13:44:28 +0100

Khamir is a broad platform that promotes craftsmanship, cultural values, regional heritage and the unique ecology of the Kutch region. The most important challenge facing the organization is the realization of a growth in turnover and an increase in the number of jobs for women. Khamir therefore asked Women on Wings to support the organization in terms of corporate branding and the visibility of the women’s work. Khamir and Women on Wings formulated a common goal: to increase the number of working women from 600 to 1200 in three years.

On behalf of the Kutch Weavers Association (KWA), experts José van Aken and Marja Versleijen developed a short and long-term strategy in collaboration with Khamir. One of the short-term goals was to brand their Geographical Indication (GI) Award, a valuable recognition of craftsmanship in Kutch. In terms of strategic goals in the long term, the aim is to create a holistic view of the artisan industry in Kutch and, in doing so, increase the visibility of women.

Marja: "We were very impressed by the traditional, authentic skills of the Kutch weavers. Their passion and pride were almost tangible when we spoke to them about skills, sustainability and tradition."

Gezocht: co�rdinator Business Support Centre die half jaar in India wil werken

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 12:20:25 +0100

In de bijlage vind je het volledige profiel van de coördinator BSC.

Expert gezocht voor Communicatie Women on Wings

Wed, 2 Nov 2011 11:40:18 +0100

Voor haar communicatie in Nederland zoekt Women on Wings een pragmatische en hands on professional die zijn/haar kennis, ervaring en netwerk op het gebied van communicatie voor Women on Wings wil inzetten. De expert is een enthousiaste professional die vanuit strategisch inzicht de juiste middelen / media inzet om de gewenste operationale resultaten te behalen.

Het accent van de werkzaamheden ligt op perscontacten en creatieve communicatieconcepten / activiteiten. In het Women on Wings netwerk zijn diverse andere communicatie professionals actief: social media, schrijven van nieuwsbrieven, ontwikkelen nieuwe website, etc..

In de bijlage vind je het volledige profiel van de Communicatie Expert.

Desert Artisans Handicrafts Jaipur continues its growth

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:09:00 +0200

Desert Artisans Handicrafts (DAH) in Jaipur works with Women on Wings on creating jobs for women in rural India, and Prakash Tripathi, DAH’s managing director, also appointed women to his management team. Since Women on Wings started working with DAH in June 2010, over 500 jobs have been created. And DAH is in the process of starting with more new clusters with another 500 artisans.

DAH’s new management team worked with Women on Wings in workshops on how to look for new business opportunities in the perspectives market and products. An action plan for development of new products with prints instead of weaving was made. In the next visit we shall monitor the new products and continue exploring new markets.

The Ants opens new shop in search for new opportunities

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:06:15 +0200

The Ants opened their new shop / café in Bangalore on October 8th. The café, which is a floor up from the shop, is doing extremely well, with over 50% increase of turnover. However the rent was about to increase enormous next year, so profits would not return to The Ants. Therefor it was decided to find a new shop / café.

Women on Wings and The Ants team worked on identifying short term commercial activities to create traffic to the new shop; how to turn café guests into shop customers and increase conversion ratio. A practical training ‘know your customer and your products’ has been given to the sales staff. Role playing was part of the training which was new to the team, but also a valuable exercise. Tools were given to register and use the gained knowledge about customers and products. A planning of moving from the old to the new location has been made and all risks have been identified. The Ants looks at the new shop as a new start with new opportunities.

Next to this The Ants wholesale activities were discussed and the action plan was updated.

Kala Raksha: about preserving handicrafts in monsoon time

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:04:12 +0200

Working in monsoon with new customer Kala Raksha in Bhuj, Gujarat state, created also new challenges for Women on Wings’ experts. Monsoon causes flooding and power cuts, so what do you do when your laptop with all workshops on it, has a low battery? You challenge your creativity and you draw the workshop on A4-papers, which also works effective. Expert Ronald van het Hof and consultant Tanveen Ratti experienced it all while working with Kala Raksha.

They worked a week with Kala Raksha’s board and management team on a set of business priorities to sustain further growth. Short and mid-term opportunities for increase in sales and productivity have been determined through workshops. Immediate action has already been taken on some ideas, e.g. an incentive program for artisans to achieve maximum productivity for upcoming exhibitions. Because of heavy rainfall and flooding production was far behind planning. Furthermore immediate action was decided on increasing the sales of the hotel shop in Bhuj; they will look for a franchisee.

Put your Wings around Women on Wings

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 7:33:29 +0200

During the anniversary celebrations of Women on Wings, Marischka Leenaers, one of the Women on Wings experts, invited guests to become a Friendship Wing. Marischka was able to list ten reasons for becoming a member and left it to those present to choose their own personal reason. It was, however, made clear that membership is really part and parcel of supporting Women on Wings’ aim: to create jobs for mothers and send kids to school. By contributing 100 euro, friends and business acquaintances will be able to support one of the projects over the coming year. The Sanitary Pads project makes pads available for girls and women in rural areas. During the next year, Women on Wings will be developing an awareness campaign in the villages surrounding the Business Support Center in Varanasi. This campaign requires 25,000 euro, which Women on Wings will be able to raise with the help of 250 friends. Would you like to take part? Then please register via our website

12,000 jobs for women in India

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 7:30:41 +0200

On September 19, Women on Wings celebrated its fourth anniversary in the presence of 120 acquaintances at the Bosschuur in Austerlitz. Over its first four years, the organization has created 12,000 extra jobs for women in rural India, which provided a very good reason for a celebration. Dilip Barooah, CEO of Fabric Plus and a keynote speaker during the anniversary celebrations, talked to the others about his experiences in Assam. Fabric Plus has taken on board the advice given by Women on Wings to place greater focus on weaving the right products and approaching the right customers. This has resulted in significant growth for the company over the past year, and also provided work and an income for thousands of women. Willem Lageweg, chairman of Women on Wings and director of MVO Nederland, expressed his pride in the results achieved with his personal experience in India. After a presentation by Ellen Tacoma and Maria van der Heijden, Women on Wings managing founders, on the company’s activities and results, guests were presented with the challenge of thinking about the issues for the coming year. This resulted in a lively discussion with people committing to help shape these ideas and activities. Women on Wings currently provides advice to fifteen companies and organizations in India with the aim of stimulating their growth and development and thus creating more jobs for women in rural areas. Women on Wings was set up in 2007 by two women with considerable experience of Dutch business. The purpose of the organization is to share knowledge of management, organization and marketing with Indian partners in order to stimulate employment opportunities for women in India, and in particular to create jobs for women at the lower end of the pyramid. Forty Dutch experts from Women on Wings now work together with fifteen Indian organizations and four international partners (AkzoNobel, DHL, IKEA Foundation and Cordaid). Over the next ten years, Women on Wings wants to help create employment for a million Indian women. ‘This is an ambitious goal, though not an unrealistic one’, says Maria van der Heijden. ‘In the first year we were able to create 500 jobs, in 2008 we created 1000, in 2009 this rose to 4500, last year 6000 and now a total of 12,000. We are aiming to double this figure each year, which will mean more than a million jobs in 2018’.

Women on Wings helpt 12.000 vrouwen in India aan een baan

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 9:51:10 +0200

Women on Wings heeft in de eerste vier jaar van haar bestaan 12.000 vrouwen op het platteland in India aan een baan geholpen. Women on Wings ondersteunt Indiase bedrijven en organisaties met managementadviezen en helpt ze hun producten beter in de markt te zetten. Het doel is het stimuleren van groei en ontwikkeling van Indiase bedrijven en organisaties waardoor er meer banen voor vrouwen op het platteland worden gecreëerd.

Op maandag 19 september 2011 vierde Women on Wings haar vierde verjaardag. De organisatie werd in 2007 opgericht door twee vrouwen met ruime ervaring in het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven. De opzet is om kennis op het gebied van management, organisatie en marketing over te dragen aan Indiase partners waardoor de werkgelegenheid voor vrouwen in India wordt bevorderd. Het accent ligt hierbij op het scheppen van banen van vrouwen aan de onderkant van de piramide. Inmiddels werken veertig Nederlandse deskundigen van Women on Wings samen met vijftien Indiase organisaties.

Women on Wings wil in de komende tien jaar werkgelegenheid voor een miljoen Indiase vrouwen helpen realiseren. ‘Dat is een ambitieuze doelstelling, maar niet onrealistisch’, zegt Maria van der Heijden, één van de oprichters. ‘In het eerste jaar werden al 500 banen gecreëerd, in 2008 1000, in 2009 4.500, vorig jaar 6.000 en nu dan in totaal 12.000. We beogen een jaarlijkse verdubbeling en dan resulteert dat in 2018 in meer dan een miljoen banen’.

Women on Wings werkt zonder subsidies. De inzet van deskundigen gebeurt op vrijwillige basis. Vier internationale bedrijven, AkzoNobel, DHL, IKEA en Cordaid zijn partner. In India werkt Women on Wings onder andere samen met Rangsutra en Fabric Plus.

Expert gezocht voor Fondswerven

Tue, 6 Sep 2011 14:13:35 +0200

Voor het werven van financiële middelen voor de projecten en activiteiten in India zoekt Women on Wings een enthousiaste en hands on professional die haar kennis/ervaring/netwerk op het gebied van fondswerving voor Women on Wings wil inzetten.

Houdt zich bezig met ontwikkeling, coördinatie en mede-uitvoering van fondsenwervende activiteiten. Werkt samen en ondersteunt met Maria/Ellen en overige experts op dit gebied. Signaleert trends, ontwikkelingen en speelt in op (politieke) veranderingen en actualiteiten.

De praktische werkzaamheden bestaan o.a. uit het opstellen van longlisten van fondsen, het in overleg vertalen naar een shortlist, initiatieven aanreiken met betrekking tot plan van aanpak, het schrijven van aanvragen voor fondsen, voorstellen voor bedrijven, etc. en het opvolgen hiervan.

In de bijlage vind je het volledige profiel van de expert Fondswerven.

Rangsutra takes part in the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 16:22:55 +0200

The 8th Ethical Fashion Show took place from 1 to 4 September in Paris. Rangsutra, customer of Women on Wings, took part in the expo and show. The expo was important for them in moving into the international market. It was the second time that Rangsutra took part in the show.

The Ethical Fashion Show brings together designers who chose to support and ensure the wellbeing of artisans and cultural and traditional handmade techniques. The collections are diverse, from chic to traditional. Alongside fashions shows, there are presentations and readings with many participants at the neighboring expo.

Rangsutra showed a variety of different handmade techniques in bed-covers, children’s line, home accessories and jackets and shawls. Rangsutra director Sumita Ghose and designer Ruchi Tripathi were enthusiastic about taking part. Later in the year, Women on Wings will evaluate the show with them and discuss any follow up steps.

Expert Karen de Loos has worked with Rangsutra a.o. on the strategic planning for the show. She visited the show last Saturday with Ellen Tacoma. You can read more about their visit on Karen's personal blog.

Fantastic results by Community Owned Companies

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 12:44:21 +0200

Krishna Weavers and Desert Artisans Jaipur – two COC’s that work for India’s largest retailer Fabindia – enjoyed fantastic results in the 2010/11 financial year. This was announced during the Annual General Meetings (AGM) held with large numbers of share holders over the past few weeks. Women on Wings works with both COC’s on improving their results and continuously monitors the action plans through regular Skype calls. William Bissell, Fabindia Overseas Pvt. Ltd. Managing Director, preside the AGM’s which were attended by both the management and shareholders of the COC’s.

Krishna Weavers has been very successful in introducing new designs for the finished products and fabrics, and sales have increased by over 30%. As a result, this was the first time that the dividend was paid out to the shareholders.

Desert Artisans Jaipur (DAH Jaipur) successfully introduced new products to its portfolio: home textiles, new range of furniture, giftware and organic food. Sales have increased by 41% over the last year and the dividend was paid out to its share holders. The share value also increased by 10%.

Picture: Managing Director William Bissell speaks at AGM.

Jaipur Rugs: master of hand-knotted rugs

Mon, 5 Sep 2011 12:05:09 +0200

Ellen Tacoma and Tanveen Ratti of Women on Wings worked hard last July to promote Jaipur Rugs. An important development in this promotion was the partnership entered into with famous designer Jenny Jones who will be introduced next year. Women on Wings drafted a PR action plan with the help of the communications team and also designed a special product label to help create brand loyalty among customers. Jaipur Rugs has provided jobs for 40,000 women in ten Indian states. These women hand-knot each rug, meaning each individual product demands specific attention, care and quality. Over 73 manoeuvres are required to create one finished, hand-knotted rug.

Women on Wings viert 4de verjaardag 19 september 2011

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 15:39:34 +0200

4DE VERJAARDAG: Weet je het nog? Women on Wings maakt zich sterk voor het creëren van 1 miljoen banen voor Indiase vrouwen op het platteland. 4EN IN DE BOSSCHUUR: We laten je graag onze nieuwe werkplek zien in Austerlitz, een mooie gelegenheid om rond te kijken en met elkaar te netwerken. 4ONDERDELEN: Met Indiase ondernemers, bedrijven die partner zijn en onze experts praten we je bij over onze resultaten in India. Aansluitend nodigen we je uit mee te denken over de uitdagingen van Women on Wings voor het komende jaar. Zorg dat je er bij bent en meld je NU aan.

We begroeten je graag op maandag 19 september van 18.00 tot 22.00 uur in de Bosschuur.
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Programma:

18.00 uur Inloop en aperitief
18.30 - 19.30 uur Indiaas buffet
19.30 - 19.45 uur Welkom Women on Wings
19.45 - 20.15 uur Indiase ondernemer Dilip Barooah, directeur Fabric Plus
20.15 - 20.45 uur Interactieve sessie
Vanaf 20.45 uur Gezellig borrelen tot ± 22.00 uur
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Locatie: De Bosschuur, Woudenbergseweg 41, 3711 AA Austerlitz
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Aanmelden en bevestigen: Wij vragen een bijdrage van 25 euro per persoon voor deze avond. Meld je aan via ineke@womenonwings.nl en geef aan met hoeveel personen je komt. Je ontvangt dan snel een bevestiging met meer info over de bijdrage en route.

Job vacancy: Business Unit Manager, Varanasi, India

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 15:15:25 +0200

Women on Wings is working on a programme in India which involves the set up of a Business Support Centre nearby Varanasi, India, for a Sanitary Pads business. The huge need for-and matching lack of-feminine hygiene products presents a perfect business opportunity for women to make and sell Sanitary Pads (SP) from home to home. A developed business model offers women a way to sell the product privately, providing a steady supply of sanitary products along with sustainable income for women and their families. To support entrepreneurs Women on Wings start a Business Support Centre nearby Varanasi to create the first Business Units in 3 districts around Varanasi. The project is set to continue with replication and scaling up the efforts in three more states through the year 2020 with 850 Business Units in a franchise model. The Business Support Centre (BSC) will be set up as a learning centre for entrepreneurs in sanitary pads. The centre will have a production unit, training and lodging facilities. It is a kind of a campus, with different buildings with different activities. Also child care, eating and fun activities will be part of this centre. In the long run the BSC will also be the head office of the 850 Business Units. Women on Wings collaborate with UNICEF, UNDP and IKEA Foundation for this program in Sanitary Pads.

For this BSC Women on Wings is looking for a Business Unit Manager (BUM):

Job Summary
The BSC will be managed on a day to day basis by the Business Unit Manager (BUM) together with a small team. The BUM will operate as a Chief Operating Officer (COO) at a geographic location nearby Varanasi. Working as a unit COO this manager will have the responsibility of the unit’s operational strategy in consultation with Women on Wings. Women on Wings delivers specific business knowledge and expertise in the set-up phase and during the next 3 to 5 years to scale up the plan. He/she will be responsible for recruiting staff, training them and managing them to meet the goals and objectives of the unit. The BUM will directly report to the Managing Founders of Women on Wings. The role requires staying and travelling in semi urban and rural settings. Women on Wings is looking for a person who has the passion to take up this challenging job and have the maturity of working with a high degree of operational freedom.
You can find the full profile in the link below.

Milestone of 10,000 jobs

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:50:10 +0200

Women on Wings reached a milestone of 10,000 jobs on 9 August 2011. This was a memorable day in the short history of a network of 40 social entrepreneurs and experts working together alongside various Indian organizations to create new jobs for women. These jobs were created in collaboration with Fabric Plus in Assam, Desert Artisans Handicrafts in Jaipur, Krishna Weavers in Hyderabad, Rangsutra in Bikaner, The Ants in Bangalore and Sadhna in Udaipur.

This 10,000 job mark is a vital step on the path to achieving the ultimate goal of Women on Wings. Marischka Leenaers, one of Women on Wings’ experts: “Our mission is to create 1 million jobs for women in rural India. If 1 million women have a job and an income, that means that 1 million families are more likely to have a better future with access to education and development.” Maria van der Heijden, managing founder of Women on Wings, adds: “Women feel empowered when they have their own income and are confident about their own future and the future of their children. The result we’ve achieved was due in part to the input of 40 experts who made their skills and expertise available to entrepreneurs in rural India. By working with international companies such as AkzoNobel, DHL, IKEA, UNICEF and UNDP, we were able to create concrete business activities that produced thousands of jobs.”

Resounding clang symbolizes growth in jobs for Women on Wings

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:44:22 +0200

On Tuesday morning 9 August, Women on Wings expert Marischka Leenaers opened the Euronext stock exchange with a resounding clang. Striking the gong symbolized the realization of 10,000 jobs for rural women in India. This milestone was celebrated with a team of Women on Wings experts.

The Radio + TV Noord Holland interview with Women on Wings held after the opening of the stock exchange can be found here (at the bottom of the page).

Creating a Business Support Center for Sanitary Pads

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:43:15 +0200

Last week, Tanveen Ratti and Maria van der Heijden were in Varanasi to launch the Business Support Center for Sanitary Pads. Together with the UNDP, UNICEF and local organizations, they discussed and developed a concrete action plan to open this center on 1 October 2012. The key short-term issues discussed included filling the managerial vacancy and determining the location of the center.

The Business Support Center will facilitate the establishment of Sanitary Pad business units in four districts around Varanasi, namely, Mirzapur, Badhoi, Sonbhadra and Jaunpur. Key components of this center include a comprehensive production unit, a training center, accommodation and daycare facilities and the franchise headquarters of the business units. These business units will be owned by women in the community, with each unit providing 240 production and sales jobs.

Women on Wings works in collaboration with UNICEF to raise awareness and with the UNDP to empower women. The goal of Women on Wings is to share business knowledge and offer support in running a unit that employs 240 women in production and sales. Rural units can be extremely profitable if all the elements in the supply chain – from marketing to purchasing – are well-developed. Rural business units will make sanitary pads available to school girls and women, which allows girls to attend school four weeks instead of three and offers women more freedom and comfort during their monthly period. The advantages of this program are two-fold: it provides new jobs and makes a positive contribution to society.

Women on Wings luidt beursgong voor 10.000e baan vrouwen in India

Mon, 8 Aug 2011 17:30:59 +0200

Op dinsdagochtend 9 augustus 2011 wordt om 09.00 uur de handelsbeurs van Euronext door Marischka Leenaers, expert van Women on Wings, geopend. Met deze bijzondere beursgong wordt de mijlpaal van 10.000 banen onder de aandacht gebracht. Women on Wings heeft als missie 1 miljoen banen te creëren voor vrouwen op platteland van India. Binnenkort meer over deze bijzondere gebeurtenis op deze site.

Growth of over 2,500 jobs demands a different kind of organization

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:19:20 +0200

The turnover of Fabric Plus, Assam’s silk expert, has almost doubled in the last year. This fantastic result has led to a growth in jobs for women, with 2,500 new jobs created since last year alone. In addition to end-products such as stoles, saris, shawls and finished fabric for fashion and home fashion, they have also been producing silk yarn. And with great success: this has led to new markets and new clients on a national and international level. This expansion now demands a different style of organization.

In July, Tanveen Ratti and Ellen Tacoma worked with the Fabric Plus team to analyze this growth and its impact on the various organizational components. Together with the Fabric Plus team, they examined new processes and structures in order to successfully manage the rapid expansion. They also reexamined the customer sector and the focus on new markets, both national and international. Follow Women on Wings and Fabric Plus on Twitter.

Successful stencil workshop by RangSutra in Varanasi

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:12:50 +0200

Expert Karen de Loos organized a workshop for 20 women close to Varanasi, India, along with AkzoNobel and Rangsutra. The workshop was part of a stencil project and will lead to a product launch on the Indian market of a packet of template stencils, paints, brushes and an inspirational book. This new product will create jobs for women in rural areas, as they will be hired to make the stencils. The project is a collaborative effort between Women on Wings, AkzoNobel, Fabindia and Rangsutra.

Over a one-week period, 20 women were taught various stencil-making techniques. The product will be launched in Fabindia shops in November 2011, after which it will be rolled out across more branches, making it possible to train even more women.
Read more about Karen’s personal experiences here.

Experts gezocht: inkoper, product specialist en contract administrator

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:54:41 +0200

Women on Wings is betrokken bij een nieuw project dat van groot belang is voor de verbetering van de hygiëne en het welzijn van Indiase vrouwen op het platteland. Wij hebben op korte termijn behoefte aan experts die zich op vrijwillige basis willen inzetten voor het ‘sanitary pad programme’. Wij zoeken een productspecialist, een purchasing manager, een trader raw materials en een contract administrator.

Samen met IKEA Foundation, UNICEF en UNDP werkt Women on Wings aan een programma dat tot doel heeft de hygiëne onder Indiase vrouwen te verbeteren door te werken aan de beschikbaarheid van maandverband op het platteland. Het Sanitary Pad Programma richt zich op de ontwikkeling en realisatie van busienss units waar lokaal maandverband wordt geproduceerd en verkocht voor en door vrouwen op het Indiase platteland. Hiermee slaan we twee vliegen in één klap. Niet alleen wordt de gezondheid van vrouwen verbeterd, ook helpen we hiermee veel vrouwen aan werk.

We starten nu met een pilot voor een eerste business unit en zoeken vier experts die zich - om niet - willen inzetten voor dit belangrijke programma.

Product specialist: je hebt als achtergrond TU Delft of een vergelijkbare opleiding, ervaring met en bent direct betrokken geweest bij de ontwikkeling van tastbare producten. Je bent binnen het programma verantwoordelijk voor vorm, samenstelling, functionaliteit en kostprijs van de grondstof voor het product maandverband.

Purchasing manager: je hebt ( internationale) ervaring met de inkoop van technische producten zoals machines, bij voorkeur in landen als India, China. Je biedt commerciële en technische ondersteuning door de inkoop van machines t.b.v. van de productie van de sanitary pads. Je voert de noodzakelijk desk research in Nederland uit en bent bereid minimaal 1 keer naar India te reizen. Je neemt commerciële besluiten die passen binnen de hoofddoelstelling van Women on Wings.

Trader raw materials: je hebt ruime ervaring met de inkoop van grondstoffen zoals katoen op de wereldmarkt. Je opereert op basis van continue kwaliteit, beschikbaarheid en regelmatige aanvoer.Je neemt commerciële besluiten die passen binnen de hoofddoelstelling van Women on Wings en bent bereid minimaal 1 keer naar India te reizen.

Contract administrator: je hebt ruime ervaring met projectplanning en bent bekend met MS project. Je volgt gemaakte afspraken met alle betrokken partijen op, verwerkt/beheert binnenkomende documenten en bereidt projectbijeenkomsten in Nederland voor.

In de downloadbutton vind je een uitgebreidere profielschets per functie.

Stencil workshop in Varanasi

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 15:27:20 +0200

From June 22 till June 26, Rangsutra, AkzoNobel and Women on Wings facilitate a workshop for women around Varanasi to create handmade stencils. The stencils will be sold with an idea book, sponges and paint in retail shops in India. Each stencil is handcrafted by a rural woman. So the customer is not only buying a stencil that is made by hand, but is also supporting the woman earning a living.

On the first day of the workshop women will be invited to work with paper and designs. The second day is about getting comfortable with designs and learning how to cut. In the following days the women and the team of Rangsutra, AkzoNobel and Women on Wings will learn which materials of paper, knives and patterns are the most useful to use. The workshop will give insights for the next phase of the collaboration with AkzoNobel and Rangsutra. The goal is to create 10,000 jobs for women in rural areas.

Partnership of IKEA Foundation, UNICEF, UNDP and Women on Wings

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:55:06 +0200

The IKEA Foundation is joining UNICEF, UNDP and Women on Wings embarking on an effort to improve hygiene and access to feminine hygiene products in rural India where menstruation is stigmatized. Half of adolescent girls consider it a disease and don't know how to deal with it. This initiative will help girls stay in school while empowering women as entrepreneurs by making and marketing feminine hygiene products in their villages. Today, only two percent of girls in India use sanitary pad. Instead girls stay home from school when they menstruate, missing lessons and falling behind, many girls simply drop out. Currently, no corporations produce or distribute sanitary products to these remote regions due to lack of infrastructure and population distribution. Most women use cloths, which they wash and hide. Kept from view in closed spaces, the cloths often stay moist, breeding bacteria, which causes infections. The huge need for-and matching lack of-feminine hygiene products presents a perfect business opportunity for women to make and sell these goods from home to home. This business model offers women a way to sell the product privately, providing a steady supply of sanitary products along with sustainable income for women and their families. It also puts girls on an equal footing with boys so they can go to school every day of the month feeling comfortable and confident instead hiding at home in shame.

The IKEA Foundation is first funding a planning phase, which began in May 2011. The project is set to continue with replication and scaling up the efforts in three more districts through the year 2020. Beyond business and banking basics to secure the start-up of an efficient and effective model for production and marketing, funding will also help increase hygiene awareness. Reducing the stigma of menstruation and increasing understanding of how to use sanitary pads will be part of awareness campaigns to reach women and girls through a variety of media. Outreach will include everything from menstruation management and hygiene training for discussions in Self Help Groups, to tips for one-to-one counselling, as well as broadcasts as part of the popular radio show about a girl named Meena, which is enjoyed by millions of women, men, girls and boys in villages across India.

Women on Wings celebrates its 4th anniversary on September 19, 2011

Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:48:39 +0200

In September, Women on Wings will have existed four years. Naturally, Women on Wings will celebrate this with its friends and acquaintances and will be doing so in the evening of Monday September 19 in De Bosschuur in Austerlitz. More information about the anniversary party will follow in the run-up to September 19.

Jaarverslag 2010 'Business Support voor Indiase ondernemers'

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:37:39 +0200

Women on Wings heeft in 2010 een enorme groei gezien in aantallen vrijwilligers/experts, in Indiase klanten, in het aantal gecreëerde banen en in samenwerking met het internationale bedrijfsleven en Indiase consultants. En vooral ook in de organisatie zelf. In 2011 werkt Women on Wings verder aan de professionalisering van de organisatie om groei in de toekomst te kunnen waarborgen.

Het bestuur van Women on Wings heeft haar akkoord gegeven aan het jaarverslag alsmede aan de jaarrekening over 2010. De jaarrekening 2010 is door Tostai, de accountant van Women on Wings, opgesteld volgens de richtlijnen voor een ANBI.

Het jaarverslag is te openen via de onderstaande download button.

You can find the English version here.

Annual Report 2010 'Business Support for Indian Entrepreneurs'

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:22:36 +0200

In 2010, Women on Wings experienced significant growth in its number of volunteers/experts, in its number of Indian customers, in the number of created jobs and in collaborations with international businesses and Indian consultants. And last but not least in the organization itself. In 2011, Women on Wings will continuously work on the professionalization of its organization to ensure the ability to maintain this growth.

The board of Women on Wings has approved the annual report as well as the annual accounts for 2010. The annual accounts for 2010 were prepared by Torstai, Women on Wings' accountant, in accordance with the guidelines for an ANBI.

You can open the Report by using the download button.

De Nederlandse versie vind je hier.

Jaarrekening 2010 nu beschikbaar

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:14:59 +0200

Klik op de download button om de jaarrrekening 2010 te openen.

You can find the English version here.

Annual accounts 2010 now available

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:13:43 +0200

The annual accounts 2010 are now available. You can open the annual accounts by using the download button.

De Nederlandse versie vind je hier.

Green Button sells almost 7,000 energy saving buttons

Thu, 19 May 2011 10:57:46 +0200

For every Green Button sold, € 1 goes to Women on Wings. Three enterprising students sold almost 7,000 Green Buttons. A course project, for which they had to run a mini-enterprise linked to a charity, turned out to be a profitable business. The students of TIO University of Applied Sciences for hospitality and tourism (International Tourism Management) in Utrecht had a target to sell 250 buttons, but they did not stop when this target was reached. The three young entrepreneurs saw much more opportunities and decided to continu the business after the course project finished. Over a period of 1,5 years they sold almost 7,000 buttons, resulting in a total donation for Women on Wings of € 7,000.

Green Button v.o.f. stops its business now as the three young entrepreneurs have finalized their studies successfully and are, worldwide, working on new challenges.

The Green Button is a button that can be attached to a computer via a USB connection. When a computer is switched on but not being used it loses a great deal of energy. By using the Green Button, you can switch the computer in and out of energy saving mode at the push of a button.

Inspiring network meeting with Tex Gunning

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:12:01 +0200

On Tuesday 12 April, fifty Women on Wings' business associates met in Amsterdam to learn about the Women on Wings partnership program. Tex Gunning, a member of the AkzoNobel Board of Management told those present an inspiring story about the role of businesses in society and its corresponding culture.

Tex Gunning clearly believes that a company is a part of the community and has a role in helping to solve the global issues such as hunger, diseases, malnutrition and 'the inconvenient truth'. As Benjamin Franklin once said: “Either we all hang together or we'll hang separately.” That is why it is important for businesses leaders to adopt an attitude of service. Tex Gunning: "Great leaders are first and foremost great human beings. Great human beings live a life of service. Great service means taking care of the needs of others ahead of taking care of the needs of the self. Great care for the needs of our people will result in great care for our organization."

In the subsequent discussion, Tex Gunning underlined the fact that everything changes when you change yourself. Instant change comes when people connect. People want to lead meaningful lives. On the topic of Women on Wings he said: “If two women take the initiative to give their life, energy and time to change something in the world, then I would like to join them.”

Social Transformation Workshop in Udaipur

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:52:12 +0200

On March 25 and 26, 2011, Ellen and Maria joined Seva Mandir's workshop on Social Transformation in Udaipur. This workshop was organized to develop a shared understanding in what it takes to co-create a better society. The workshop was held due to a change in Seva Mandir's leadership. Neelima Khetan passed on the position of Chief Executive to Pryanka Singh on April 1. With 40 participants from Indian NGOs, universities, journalists, film makers and the government, the two days were filled with lectures, panels, fish bowls and ideas to create new insight into social transformation.

One of Neelima Kehtan's key messages was that small things matter! In today's society, people have very little respect for small things. According to Neelima Khetan, there is no short cut for an institution. It takes time to create social transformation. We must focus on what people have instead of what people do not have. The two days focused on personal change: looking for new lenses, new vocabulary and new answers. As Gandhi said: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

Human Capital of Women on Wings: one million euros

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:46:49 +0200

In 2010, Women on Wing's core team worked with three Indian consultants and 35 experts to realize a human capital value of one million euros. Women on Wing's core value is to make business expertise available to organizations in rural India. This expertise represents an economic value of one million euros. Its social value is far greater: in 2010, we created 5,000 new jobs for women to enable them to earn their own income. A job and an income break the vicious cycle of poverty.

Radio Netherlands spends day with Women on Wheels

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:33:49 +0200

Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Asia team, spent a day with female drivers and founder Meenu Vadera in New Delhi, to get to know more about Women on Wheels. Radio Netherlands got to know about Women on Wheels when a reporter interviewed Ellen Tacoma and Maria van der Heijden at the Diwali festival in Amstelveen, November 2010.

Radio Netherlands has produced a 5 minute documentary on Women on Wheels. You can read the story and listen to the programme.

More work on marketing & sales targets at RangSutra

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:55:02 +0100

At the beginning of March, Women on Wings continued to work with RangSutra on marketing, sales and communication challenges, to elaborate on previously held workshops. This will result in the development of an email newsletter for RangSutra’s artisans and all other stakeholders. The website is being thoroughly revised and a swatch book is being put together containing various samples of RangSutra’s products. The swatch book will also be produced in digital form.

Women on Wings expert Karen de Loos worked alongside the RangSutra team on the program and collection for various (marketing) events which RangSutra will take part in during the second half of 2011. Preparations have begun for events such as the annual shareholders’ meeting, the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris and the Nature Bazaar in Delhi. Women on Wings has produced a number of tools such as agendas, plans and checklists, to help all RangSutra employees meet deadlines.

‘The Women on Wings workshops are very useful, and we are now looking forward to a follow-up session in June, by which time we will be in the middle of developing and implementing events, the newsletter, the swatch book and the website,’ says Sumita Ghose, director of RangSutra.

The session in June will enable Women on Wings to follow-up the export fair, communication plan and many other activities, enabling RangSutra to grow and to provide impetus for increasing the number of jobs.

New customers in Kutch region

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:14:06 +0100

Every woman in Kutch, a region neighboring Pakistan and the state of Rajasthan, embroiders, and this critical mass of embroiderers forms the basis for many successful livelihood programs and enterprises, some of which Women on Wings visited during its exploration of the region. Women on Wings will start working with a few organizations in Kutch that are dedicated to working with artisans to keep the traditional culture of Kutch alive on various levels, primarily the skill of embroidery. Each of them is very distinct in its approach, but focused on the goal of creating livelihood.

The magic of Kutch, a semi-arid salt plain, lies in the sepia color tones that surround the people who live there. These colors are incorporated by women in their traditional embroidery. These skills are nurtured from the first day a girl can hold a needle and thread. Women on Wings was deeply impressed by the artisans, their designs and spirit and is looking forward to working with them. A small introduction:

Kala Raksha is managed by the community; the women themselves have formed a committee to coordinate the price of their works. Kala Raksha has extended its outreach by setting up a design school and a museum for the textile-based artisans of Kutch. Women on Wings and Kala Raksha will work on establishing an entrepreneurial platform for the female graduates of the school and also strengthening the brand.

Shrujan was founded in the seventies and is now a successful enterprise producing embroidered garments that are in great demand by the domestic market. Women on Wings and Shrujan will work together to increase the company’s turnover, which is by far the highest in the region.

KMVS works with cooperatives and helps them cluster together to create a movement. KMVS is a.o. engaged in dairy activities and embroidery crafts. Dairy farming is an important occupation in Kutch; the people here are traditionally cattle herders and this region has the highest number of cattle and livestock in the country. Dairy farming is one way in which KMVS and Women on Wings can connect as it is an expertise that comes directly from the Netherlands.

Women on Wings is now preparing the collaboration agreements and finding suitable experts to start work on the challenges.

RangSutra trains 1000 Artisans in Varanasi

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:36:38 +0100

In Varanasi, a thousand women have been trained by local NGOs, with RangSutra’s help in all kinds of handiwork techniques. The women are divided according to the quality they produce to ensure a clear division in terms of difficulty of handiwork techniques and to prevent artisans who are better at simple techniques from being allocated more complex tasks and vice versa.

In August 2010, RangSutra started work in Varanasi and rural women were trained to become trainers in all types of handiwork techniques. They, in turn, then trained women in their own communities according to the train-the-trainer methodology. Once the desired level of handiwork is attained, future orders from RangSutra will be produced by the women in Varanasi.

Krishna Weavers in Hyderabad creates 2500 new jobs

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:22:05 +0100

Krishna Weavers Ltd has created 2500 new jobs. By cooperating with a weaving plant with 3000 unused looms from the local government, Krishna Weavers had the opportunity to increase its production capacity. One of the recommendations put forward by Women on Wings after a quick scan in 2010 was to draw up a strategic plan for the product portfolio with regard to getting maximum use out of the unique craft techniques in terms of capacity and product possibilities.

One craft technique is Kalamkari painting. Application of this technique depends on the weather and cannot be used during the months of the rainy season as the paint does not dry on the fabric. Women on Wings advized to look at which other products could be produced during this period to and Krishna Weavers has decided to produce more woven items. As a result of this decision and thanks to large new orders, 2500 women from the surrounding area have found work in the weaving plant in recent months.
In February, Jan Engels, an expert for Women on Wings, continued working with the Krishna Weavers team to examine possibilities for exporting to Europe.

Krishna Weavers Ltd, based in Hyderabad, is a community-owned company (COCs) that supplies products to Fabindia, India’s biggest retailer with over 100 stores in the country. Krishna Weavers specializes in complex techniques for decorating fabrics, e.g. Ikat and Jamdani weaving, Kalamkari painting and block printing. The COC model consists of companies that act as value adding intermediaries between rural producers and Fabindia. These companies are owned, as the name suggests, by the communities in which they operate, and produce clothing and household textiles.

The Ants store generates positive stories about North East India

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:33:57 +0100

The Ants store in Bangalore is one of Women on Wings' customers. Every little urn, every piece of cloth in the Ants store tells the tale of a colourful culture and a people often forgotten as a part of India.
To many Indians elsewhere, North East India is a huge blur – the people there are “Nepalis”, insurgents or tribals; they migrate to metros to work in beauty parlours or as gurkhas. The Ants store in Bangalore, gently chides one not to make such pat judgements.

An oasis of cream, bamboo-brown, and black, located off the commercially bustling 100-ft Road in Indiranagar, The Ants, at first glance simply looks like a store with pleasant aesthetics. It has Eri silk shawls, kauna reed mats, black pottery from the Tangkhul Naga tribes of Manipur, baskets, trinkets and jewellery. And then you notice the boards which highlight the different kinds of weaves from each part of the North East- the extra warp in the weaves of the Bodos, the red, yellow, green, and black colours of the Mishing textiles of Assam, the leaf tips curling in a loop motif of the Mizo textiles. Bright photos of people from the 7 sisters adorn the walls. Little tidbits of the process and the people behind the products are displayed around the shop.

To read the entire article from The Alternative, click here. The Alternative, a web magazine, offers news, views and commentary on the development sector.

Marketing & Sales workshop for 35 women

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:59:25 +0100

On February 10 and 11, Women on Wings provided training in marketing and sales for 35 women from ten sanitary napkins units in the state of Maharashtra. As one of the participants said: ‘During the workshop, we discovered that we all have what it takes. Our self-esteem has grown and we are convinced we will be more successful in selling.’ The interactive workshop, which took place in Jeur, a village in the Solapur district of Maharashtra, included a mood board session to create the story of the napkins, a product party, exercises in sales attitude and brainstorming sessions on selling methods.

Ten units have already started producing sanitary napkins in Maharashtra. Until recently, however, there seemed little vision on marketing and sales. No active sales force has been created and no structured marketing activities are being organized. As a result, the women at the production units lack the motivation to sell, leaving warehouses stocked full of napkins.

The two-day workshop kicked off with an introduction to business principles, which was explained using the ‘bangle & beads’ metaphor. To make a chain (the bangle), all the elements (beads), such as production, marketing, distribution, quality checks, innovation and entrepreneurship, are needed. If one of the beads is missing, the chain will be broken and the business will never be sustainable.

The main aim of this Women on Wings workshop was to create selling awareness among the female participants. Selling is not something that only saleswomen can do; almost anyone can sell if they have the right tools and expectations. In addition, the Women on Wings team of Jose van Aken en Maria van der Heijden also explained various other marketing elements, such as branding, USPs, customer satisfaction and promotion.

The workshop ended with a ceremony in which Jose and Maria handed over certificates to all 35 attendees.

Co-operation between UNICEF and Women on Wings in sanitary napkins business

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:55:34 +0100

UNICEF and Women on Wings are co-operating in creating a sustainable model for the production, marketing and distribution of sanitary napkins, which will ultimately create around 50,000 new jobs for women. In addition to new jobs, it will change the lives of women and girls who start using sanitary napkins as they will no longer have to stay at home during their periods.

Women on Wings assessed four sanitary napkins units in different Indian states with a view to identifying best practices and to advise the existing enterprises on becoming sustainable, efficient and profitable units. A value chain business model was used involving all the elements of purchase, production, finance, marketing, sales, innovation and entrepreneurship. Women on Wings will use the outcome of the assessments in the coming months to develop a sustainable business model.

Fifteen Women on Wings experts are currently involved in the co-operation between UNICEF and Women on Wings, working on the full range of disciplines in India and the Netherlands.

Success story of Woman NGO in Trichy

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:53:59 +0100

One of the most successful sanitary napkins businesses is that of Woman NGO in Trichy, South India. Ms. Kannaghi, the NGO’s CEO, runs a very well-organized production and sales unit. Woman NGO is a community of 40,000 women, and consists of nine production units and one sales unit. Woman NGO produces 650,000 sanitary napkins per month, which are sold via an informal sales network of women in the villages around Trichy. The napkins are also promoted and distributed by schools and hospitals.

Ms. Kannaghi is very happy to be working with the Dutch experts from Women on Wings. 'I personally enjoy their company. They interact easily with the local people, understand them and are able to progress with them. The team is very friendly and easy to get on with. They add a personal touch to all the professional suggestions they make. We have had many visitors before, but the visit made by the Women on Wings team and our work with them have left us with a good impression and unforgettable memories in our hearts.'

Optimization of production - hand in hand with purchasing and sales

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:51:31 +0100

NGOs could be expected to optimize their production by focusing on maximum output, i.e. making as many sanitary napkins as possible at the expense of quality, costs, finished goods storage, environment, etc.. Woman NGO in Trichy takes a very different approach; one that has proved to be quite successful.

On the one hand, they continue to listen to the end users of the napkins. Various thicknesses are available in different packages, they address the difficulties of disposal, and, together with experts from Women on Wings, they think about the next step in branding, marketing and the development of new models. First prototypes are simple to produce in one of the Woman NGO workshops.

At the same time, napkin quality is improved through careful optimization of the materials used. Suppliers are invited to help Woman NGO come up with the best mix of wood pulp and absorbent gel. Production can adjust its glue protocol so that adhesion of the release strip meets customer needs better. All this is done with a keen eye on sustainability: the raw materials used are biodegradable.

Immediate improvements can also be made in the workshops. The whole team welcomes the opinions of the Women on Wings experts who have already worked with the team on several occasions. Their advice on how to maximize use of the press, the biggest bottleneck in production was to use an extra mold, optimize the workflow, reduce scrap, improve the blades of the blender, change the method used to cut the back layer, optimize preparation of the wood pulp, and align the packaging amount with the size of the sterilization unit.

All of these changes have been quickly embraced by Woman NGO; making it possible to achieve a 30% increase in output. This success is all thanks to the dedicated, hard working women, and the assistance of pragmatic technical service men who dare to experiment and implement.

Fast growth at DAH Jaipur results in first new jobs

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:47:48 +0100

The first success at Desert Artisans Handicrafts Jaipur Ltd. (DAH Jaipur), is already visible after just a short time. DAH Jaipur focuses on developing more home textile products and has received large orders from Fabindia. A new cluster of artisans then produce the orders which has created 200 new jobs.

Prakash Tripathi, Managing Director of DAH Jaipur: “After we worked on the step-by-step plan with the Women on Wings experts, we further expanded the home textile category. Fabindia has faith in our new products and has since placed large orders with us, resulting in more jobs as well as an increase in turnover for DAH Jaipur. This is fantastic motivation to continue down the same path”.

DAH Jaipur is one of the community-owned companies (COCs) that work for Fabindia. They are specialized in block printed products. Sales opportunities and production seemed very promising when the Women on Wings experts set to work with DAH Jaipur’s management at the end of November on coming up with a plan to achieve growth in jobs and turnover. It was clear that opportunities lay chiefly in the home textile category and they continued to support and follow DAH Jaipur from the Netherlands. Regular Skype calls helps the experts maintain implementation speed and guide DAH Jaipur in taking the steps developed in November.

Enriching to work for Women on Wings

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:31:10 +0100

Prachi Grover finds working for Women on Wings as a consultant in India challenging and satisfying. Prachi: “It’s almost been a year since I came on board. One of the opportunities that came my way was the AkzoNobel stencil cutting project for which new jobs for women are created in rural Varanasi. This has been really interesting as we are linking a producer group to a huge corporation by creating a new product. We are also working on linking them up with Fabindia for retailing.

It has given me the wonderful opportunity to get acquainted with and work on every aspect of the value chain. Right from conceptualizing and devising the product offering to market research, from working on product design to sourcing raw materials and so much more. Then finally tying up all the different aspects and working with a retailer. Since there are many stakeholders in the project and their teams working on it with me, it is also a great lesson in people management and relationship building without which it is difficult to make progress.

As much as I enjoyed working with the various companies in the past there was still something missing. I have worked with Indian corporations as a Brand Manager/Retail Manager etc. When you perform a certain function, your role and bandwidth remain limited to the function to which you belong. I look back at an enriching first year working for Women on Wings. I couldn’t have asked for more.”

FabricPlus supports weavers, company and staff to blossom

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:17:42 +0100

FabricPlus not only makes beautiful products such as stoles, saris and cushion covers, it also produces silk yarn. Most of the weavers in the area used to spin their own silk yarn for a few hours per day, but now buy silk yarn from FabricPlus. The time they used to spend spinning silk can now be spent weaving. Given that the weavers are paid for the fabric, this has a very positive influence on their income.

FabricPlus is an important organization for Assam in north east India. It not only supplies beautiful quality silk, it creates a great many jobs for the local population. The management team supports its staff in a personal and stimulating manner. The education and development of the team is central and that translates into a highly versatile organization. Additionally, the management invites staff to use their own creativity and to take ownership of their role. In short, this type of leadership allows people and the company to blossom as people are approached for their talents.

Customer award for The Ants Caf�

Wed, 9 Feb 2011 15:03:57 +0100

The Ants in Bangalore sells handmade products from the northernmost part of India and also has a café above the shop. This café was awarded the Burrp Award for the ‘best-loved breakfast.’ The award is based entirely on the opinions of The Ants Café customers about the quality of both the food and service.

The café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu offers meals with a Mediterranean flavor. Women on Wings experts often used the café as a workspace, alongside The Ants’ management team. The experts also experienced dishes served by café manager Prem and his team. During the last working visit, Prem and his team had obviously developed a great deal in terms of service provision thanks to the coaching they have received from Neil Bryan, a retired Australian marine who coached The Ants Store and Café on a voluntary basis. The award is fantastic motivation for the team and Neil to carry on with the coaching.

Burrp.com is India’s leading lifestyle website that lets people search, review and recommend their local businesses such as restaurants, nightclubs, bars, spas and more. Many visitors to The Ants café have written glowing reviews about the quality of the food and service standards. The breakfast received such a high score that the café was awarded the special ‘best-loved breakfast’ award.

Inspirerende werkplek voor sociaal ondernemers

Tue, 1 Feb 2011 9:15:16 +0100

Women on Wings verhuist per 1 februari naar de Woudenbergseweg 41 in Austerlitz. Midden in de bossen staat de Bosschuur D'Ouwe Kamp, waarin Women on Wings werkruimte deelt met andere sociaal ondernemers als Better Future en Ex'tent. Door de groei van Women on Wings is er behoefte aan een locatie die de mogelijkheid biedt om regelmatig met collega's op 1 plek te werken en daarmee de resultaten te versterken. De locatie biedt flexibele ad hoc werkplekken voor de experts van Women on Wings en heeft meerdere ruimtes om met grotere en kleinere groepen bij elkaar te komen. Zo zullen de tweemaandelijkse expertbijeenkomsten voortaan op de hooizolder georganiseerd worden.

Better Future richt zich op leiderschapsprogramma's, o.a. in India; door de werkplek te combineren gaan Women on Wings en Better Future samenwerken aan leiderschap en banen voor vrouwen.

Adres: Woudenbergseweg 41, 3711 AA Austerlitz
Telefoon: 06- 30348398 (Ineke Bezembinder, Office Manager)

De routebeschrijving vind je hieronder.

As per February 1st, Women on Wings moves to a new office in Austerlitz. Due to the growth of Women on Wings there was need to have 1 office with possibillities of working together which will strengthen the results and growth in future.

Workshops with RangSutra result in export and communication planning

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:30:20 +0100

In order to build on the RangSutra brand both at home and abroad and to create a further 1000 jobs in the coming year, Women on Wings organized workshops lasting four days. They worked collectively on creating a basis for exports in which choices were made about target countries and product portfolio. The choice to export will enable the brand to expand and will improve RangSutra’s segmentation of turnover.

In order to make a start on export activities, participation in the export fair in Noida, India is a crucial step. Together with the team, Karen de Loos and Ellen Tacoma from Women on Wings worked on creative ideas for the brand experience at the stand. They drew up a basic communication plan involving the use of e-mail marketing and social media.
As Women on Wings wishes to make a continuous and consistent contribution to increasing jobs for women in rural India, a brief follow-up visit will take place in January and new workshops will be organized for the beginning of March. This will enable Women on Wings to follow-up the export fair, communication plan and many other activities, enabling RangSutra to grow and to provide impetus for increasing the number of jobs.

Professionalizing the wholesale business of The Ants

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:28:25 +0100

A team of Women on Wings experts worked intensively with the management of The Ants in Bangalore on a sustainable business plan. It focuses on the expansion of the company’s wholesale activities. Several improvements are already evident since Women on Wings started working with The Ants in 2009.

The company’s cash flow problems were studied in the Netherlands by expert Anke Rotink. Experts Matthijs Rosman and Ronald van het Hof have examined the current financial situation of The Ants in detail together with its management and they have jointly developed a number of tools to improve financial management. In addition, the activities and priorities of the management have been given structure and focus. A reporting format has been set up that is discussed with the team each month in order to monitor progress.

In addition to its retail activities, The Ants has a café above the shop where many activities are organized to provide further information on the north-east of India, where all products and employees come from, to its customers in an interactive manner. The Women on Wings team attended a film screening about the construction of river dams in the north-east. Matthijs Rosman: “It was impressive to see and hear how the construction of dams affects the lives of the people there. Hundreds of people lose their land and homes and a lot of nature and culture disappears.”

Home textile products from Jaipur create jobs for women

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 13:11:27 +0100

Women on Wings works together with Desert Artisans Handicrafts Jaipur, which works for Fabindia, on a plan to achieve growth in jobs and turnover. Opportunities in sales and production look very promising. In order to better understand the production process, the experts of Women on Wings undertook a field visit to Bagru, a village in the desert where fabrics are decorated with traditional block prints.

Desert Artisans Handicrafts Jaipur Ltd. (DAH Jaipur) is one of the community-owned companies (COCs) that work for Fabindia and where Women on Wings carried out a quick scan last June. DAH Jaipur is specialized in handmade block printed products like sarees, bed and table linen, and clothes. In November, the results from the quick scan were used to work with the management and team of DAH Jaipur, via workshops, on recognizing sales and production opportunities that focus on sustainable growth in jobs and turnover. The outcome of this has led to the further development of the home textile products category. A step-by-step plan was set up with the management team for the next six months.

Prakash Tripathi, Managing Director DAH Jaipur: “Joint efforts of grass root workers and experts from Women on Wings to create new rural jobs in region and cluster development.”
For an interesting article about DAH Jaipur, the effect on artisans and more COCs promoted by Fabindia, read “Small community-owned firms give rural artisans a stake in projects” in the India Economic Times.

New retail formula for FabricPlus

Tue, 4 Jan 2011 15:53:16 +0100

Two experts from Women on Wings collaborated with the FabricPlus team to advise on the start-up of a pilot store and a retail formula. FabricPlus is growing explosively and, in addition to the fast growing production of silk yarn, the sales opportunities also appear to be attractive both in domestic as well as export market. The business to business sales are important, but the retail channel in the local market are as well very profitable.

Ellen Oord and Tanveen Ratti from Women on Wings interviewed the FabricPlus staff in Assam at the office and in the shops, visited the competition, analyzed the figures and followed the operation in the shop at the office. All this information was used to prepare a rough guideline for a retail formula. The FabricPlus team and the Women on Wings team turned the shop at the office into a pilot store. After optimizing this store it can be copied to other locations in the province of Assam & in rest of the country.

The main advantage of the local market is that Indian people actually use silk a lot. For every occasion, such as weddings and festivals, women need to wear a different sari made from 100% pure silk. Government stores & emporiums sell these top quality silk saris and other products like silk stoles, which they buy from FabricPlus. In addition to the government stores, there are local stores that also sell silk products. These local stores sell products without authentic composition labels, that are often of a lower quality silk, or not even 100% pure silk. FabricPlus, that currently has two of its own shops in Assam, sees huge opportunities in this for beginning a retail chain with full transparency of the product quality.

Happy 2011!

Sat, 1 Jan 2011 0:05:27 +0100

Women on Wings wishes you a happy, healthy and joyful 2011. We continue to work toward our goal; the creation of one million jobs for women in India. With confidence, enthusiasm, commitment and focus. “In our progress towards the goal, we ever see more and more enchanting scenery”, Mahatma Gandhi once said. We sincerely thank you for a wonderful 2010.

Happy New Year!

Train-the-Trainer workshops for women in rural Varanasi

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:03:13 +0100

Keeping in mind its goal of working towards inclusive economic growth in the country, and creating opportunities for ensuring employment to rural artisans, Rangsutra opened its second office in Varanasi, with support from UNDP-IKEA. Ensuring regular employment will mean increasing business, increasing production and thus involving more women. Women on Wings and Rangsutra worked closely together to develop the business plan for this growth; because training women is an important step. Just as important as growth in orders to create sustainable jobs for these women. Handicraft workshops in the Varanasi countryside give women the opportunity to develop as trainers and develop an entrepreneurial attitude. The women receive one week’s intensive training by RangSutra in handicraft skills as well as in entrepreneurship.

Women on Wings visited the workshops in Varanasi and saw the women’s commitment. These women want to develop to become masters of their handicrafts, and are supported in this by their husbands and community; one of the conditions for the women to take part in the workshops and get a job.

RangSutra trains the women in sewing, stitching, embroidery, natural fibers weaving and patchwork and, following their training as trainers, the women can go on to train their own communities. RangSutra continues to guide the women in their further development. This helps to maintain traditional handicrafts and teaches women to make products for RangSutra, through which they are able to generate an income.

Jaipur Rugs, every rug a story

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 12:05:08 +0100

Jaipur Rugs is a manufacturer of carpets and specialized in hand-knotted carpets made by over 40.000 artisans in Rajasthan. Their ambition is to grow towards 100.000 artisans within the next five years. Next to that, Jaipur Rugs aims to increase the daily income significantly for the artisans, improve the image of being an artisan making hand-knotted carpet and further improve the time to market. Women on Wings supports Jaipur Rugs in realizing its’ ambitious targets. They first met in Jaipur, India, last June and discussed possibilities for working together. Last November Ellen Tacoma en Nicolette Biessels worked together with the Jaipur Rugs management to help define the long term targets and create focus in activities.

Jaipur Rugs believes in the power of its’ artisans and invests continuously in their social and economic development. This means that every rug is not just hand-knotted, but has a beautiful story which deserves to be told to the world.

Women on Wings workshops inspire Ode to Earth network members

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:22:31 +0100

Prior to the Ode to Earth market fair, which took place in New Delhi last November, Women on Wings held two workshops on Visual Merchandising and Sales Attitude for members of the network. Over 50 people participated in the workshops; a surprisingly high number. The workshops touched on several aspects of creating an attractive presentation for products and provided guidelines and tips for support in becoming better sales persons. In addition to a theoretical part, participants were able to hone their skills in the exercise sessions. Full of enthusiasm, they took part in a sales role-play scenario and in creating a Christmas atmosphere at their own stand.

The Ode to Earth market fair was a success for both visitors and stand holders. Many non-members indicated their interest in the network. Not only to be sure of taking part in the fair in 2011, but also to be able to count on support throughout the year in terms of design, finance en marketing. ACCESS, founder of Ode to Earth, has already begun screening these potential new members. As of now, the network has 30 members, reaching 8500 artisans out of which 5000 are women. The initial target was 7500, which has already been crossed. The ambition for 2011 is to have 75 network members. With the support from the network, the members will develop their organization and will have more opportunities to market their products. This will result in more jobs.

Indian consultants add value in connecting Indian customers & Dutch experts

Wed, 1 Dec 2010 11:35:49 +0100

Last November the Indian consultants of Women on Wings worked together with the Dutch experts in concrete projects in Assam and Rajasthan. Tanveen Ratti: 'Being part of the consultant team of FabricPlus I learned a lot from the business approach of retailing'. The Dutch Women on Wings experts also learn a lot from the Indian consultants, especially when it comes to differences in culture and knowing the Indian customer.

At the beginning of this year Women on Wings started working with its Indian consultants Prachi Grover, Tanveen Ratti and Rupa Girish. The consultants add value to Women on Wings' ambition to create jobs for women in rural India. They explore and screen new Indian organizations that want to work with Women on Wings. And also support in projects such as AkzoNobel's stencil cutting project. They are being trained in the Women on Wings way of working, both in India during workshops and working together with Women on Wings experts, as well as in the Netherlands.

Next to the projects, the consultants worked a full day with Ellen, Maria and Ineke in New Delhi to review the past and discuss future plans. There are regular meetings through out the year via skype to discuss issues, but seeing each other is all about connecting as a team.

Story telling by ANTS covered in Business Line Newspaper

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:26:25 +0100

ANTS, one of Women on Wings' customers, sells products in its store in Bangalore. Products that are all being handicrafted in the northeast of India. ANTS not just sells the northeastern products, but also tells positive stories from the northeast. ANTS tries to inform people about the forgotten state of Assam through initiatives like food festivals, readings from Neti Neti, a novel by Shillong-born Anjum Hasan, even a mini Naga cultural festival. All these initiatives take place in the roof top café of ANTS store in Bangalore.

The Hindu Business Line, an online newspaper, published a cover story about ANTS and its work for the northeast last Friday, November 5th. Read here the full article.

Happy Diwali!

Thu, 4 Nov 2010 20:50:00 +0100

On November 5, Diwali is celebrated as the festival of lights. For many Hindus/Indians and working class, Diwali is the most important festival of the year. On this day they spend time with their families and say prayers together in their homes which are decorated with brightly coloured lanterns and special lamps.

In the Netherlands this festival was celebrated in Amstelveen on Saturday, October 30. Women on Wings participated in this festival with an information stand about its activities in India.

Business and jobs in partnership with DHL Express

Thu, 4 Nov 2010 20:43:39 +0100

During the first year, the collaboration between DHL Express and Women on Wings resulted in a considerable rise in the number of transactions between the Netherlands and India for DHL Express. In addition, the knowledge made available by DHL Express to the different organizations with which Women on Wings works has given those organizations a firmer foundation for achieving a growth in jobs in the coming year.

Exchanging knowledge has turned out to be the key. Based on its experience in rural India and the partners it collaborates with, Women on Wings has handed over the opportunities and challenges to the commercial organization of DHL Express. An expansion in business on the Dutch-Indian trade lane was the outcome. Women on Wings is proud of this partner. Exchanging and deploying one another’s knowledge contributes demonstrably to the objectives of both parties.

Assessment of Sanitary Napkins

Thu, 4 Nov 2010 20:41:34 +0100

Last October, 4 experts from Women on Wings reviewed the value chain for local production units of sanitary napkins in Tamil Nadu, Maharastra, West-Bengal and Bihar. The assessment resulted in different perspectives on business elements like purchasing, production, distribution, marketing and sales.

The results will be used by Women on Wings to advise on a best practice model for local businesses. Local production seems to be competitive with the global brands. The potential of the market is huge as only 5% of women currently use sanitary napkins during their period.

'Women on Wheels' launches its own car hire service

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:26:59 +0200

Sakha Consulting Wings Pvt. Ltd. will offer safe transport services for women by women in Delhi under the name “Women on Wheels”, which will launch its own car hire service from November onward. Every woman driver comes from marginalized and resource-poor communities and families. Sakha provides dignified livelihoods to women in Delhi. Sakha also aims to provide safe transport solutions to those women who are becoming increasingly mobile and can afford to own a car and hire a chauffeur. Sakha intends to work with these two groups of women – addressing their right to a dignified livelihood for one, and the right to safe mobility for the other.

The women drivers are trained and developed entirely by the Azad Foundation, Sakha’s non-profit sister organization. Driving skills are provided both by the Maruti Institute of Driving and Technology Research as well as by our in-house organization. In addition to driving skills, the Delhi Police, Crime against Women Cell teaches these women self defense to enable them to deal with any untoward incidences they may face on the roads.
Women on Wings connected with Sakha’s Women on Wheels in September 2009. Women on Wheels won the Dutch BiD Challenge in June 2010.

Creating a value chain for stencil kits

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:14:09 +0200

Next month there will be qualitative research on the developed concept of a stencil kit in 3 different age groups of women. AkzoNobel India, Rangsutra and Fabindia are creating a value chain for stencil kits. Women on Wings is connecting the different partners to create 2,000 new jobs for women around the holy city of Varanasi.

A customer can buy these stencil kits from a Fabindia store in 2011. The stencil kit will comprise stencils, paints, sponges and an idea book. Each stencil is handcrafted by a rural woman. So the customer is not only buying a stencil that is made by hand, but is also supporting the woman earning a living. The research will focus on the right customer group and the beliefs of these customers. F.e. would they like to buy stencils to support women to realize their dreams or/and discover their own inner artist?

In the 3rd week of November the results of the research will be shared with the different value chain members to develop the next steps. The planning is to start the production of the stencils in December 2010 and sell the kit in Fabindia stores in the beginning of 2011.

Research on Sanitary Napkins in 4 states of India

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:08:18 +0200

Women on Wings has recently performed quick scans on sanitary napkin production units in the Indian countryside. The intent was to gain insight into the development of a sustainable sanitary napkin business and the related income-oriented activities for women. Experts from Women on Wings worked with Unicef managers and consultants to thoroughly investigate each Self Help Group (SHG) unit. This action was undertaken in the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Tamilnadu and Maharashtra by means of interaction with women from the SHGs, girls, school teachers and those involved in various government departments.

There are significant differences between each state as each government has its own approach to setting up projects and marketing. It is remarkable to note that the empowerment of these women determines the success and the speed with which a unit is set up. It was impressive to see that both young girls and women are capable of breaking taboos and of convincing the villagers, including the men, of the advantages of using sanitary napkins in just a short period of time. Aside from the social aspect of the freedom to attend school and work, an important argument in convincing others is the broader hygiene aspect. Installing toilets and incinerators will offer a saving grace in this respect. SHGs can use the income from the sale of sanitary napkins to start new production units and purchase new and better machines.

Next month, after analyzing the quick scans, the Women on Wings team of experts, amongst others Ton Berg, Ina Dijstelbloem, Jurgen Staring and Carolijn Michels, will develop a business plan based on factors such as the production process, financial and sales results, as well as the teams’ knowledge and skills.
After consulting with Unicef and the SHGs, the experts will determine where the focus for the business' growth and improvement should lie. The ultimate objective is to successfully implement and roll out the project in several Indian states.

Women on Wings on national Dutch Business News Radio

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:23:59 +0200

Women on Wings was interviewed on September 29th on a daily radio show. The newsreel from Business News Radio (BNR) has a weekly item on innovative entrepreneurship for which Ellen and Maria were interviewed.

Please find here the 10 minute interview by show host Paul van Liempt. His daily radio show 'Aan de Slag' is a mix of news and topicalities.

The result after three years of Women on Wings: 6,000 jobs for women

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:34:16 +0200

Over the course of three years, Women on Wings has created 6,000 jobs for women living in rural India; 500 new jobs in the first year, 1,000 in the second and 4,500 in the last year. Women on Wings estimates an annual doubling, which by 2018 will result in over one million jobs.

The three year anniversary of Women on Wings was celebrated by 110 guests on 27th September in Bunnik. In his unique way, corporate alchemist and magician George Parker demonstrated how the chemistry between the founders, experts, friends and partners has produced such a fantastic result for women in India. To get an impression of the anniversary, click here for the photo show.

At present, 25 Dutch experts work with Women on Wings, along with 15 Indian organizations. Rangsutra and Fabric Plus are just two examples of Indian companies who have achieved enormous growth with assistance from these experts. The majority of the women employed by these businesses do not receive a salary, but a fair price per item or project. The price is related to the number of hours worked and the quality of that work. The women work on ‘homemade/handmade’ projects that they can combine with caring for their homes and children.

Research in India confirms approach used by Women on Wings

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 11:32:49 +0200

Upon the occasion of its three year anniversary, Women on Wings undertook research which was carried out in rural India. In twenty in-depth interviews with women in the state of Rajasthan, Priyanka Tariyal – a student of Breda University – asked them about the meaning of income. The research results confirmed our approach. An income means increased self-confidence to a woman, giving her more influence over the family and outside the home. Women who earn money can send their children to school and are therefore investing in the future of young people. There is great social cohesion in a community, which means that a job can lead to respect for and the development of women. Women are able to pay off expensive, high interest loans and lend money (interest free) to other women so that they are able to do the same. They feel a strong sense of involvement, with each other and in their work, and also encourage other women to do things beyond domestic work. The effect of income on opportunities for and the development of women is huge.

For a video impression of the women in Rajasthan,click here.

Honourable Mention for Women on Wings at NICCT India Business Award 2010

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:31:02 +0200

The jury of the NICCT India Business Award has granted Women on Wings an Honorable Mention. This was announced during the annual award ceremony of the Netherlands India Chamber of Commerce and Trade (NICCT) on 16 September. During this event for 250 participants from the Indian and Dutch corporate sectors, Women on Wings received the Honorable Mention for its outstanding approach and results. ‘Dutch experts use their knowledge and experience in the international corporate sector to help organizations in rural India expand; this growth results in more jobs, and more jobs mean an income and breaking the cycle of poverty’, said Mr. R.L. Lakhina, Chairman of the jury of the NICCT India Business Award.
For Women on Wings this award means huge recognition for our working method of sharing and linking knowledge. Indian entrepreneurs and Dutch consultants have a great deal to offer each other. By working together, activities are created that make companies a great deal more market focused and therefore increase sales. The honorable mention from the NICCT, in which the majority of members are Indian entrepreneurs resident and working in the Netherlands, has provided an extra stimulus to carry on the good work.

RangSutra presents 'Vibrant breeze' collection in Paris

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 16:36:06 +0200

RangSutra, one of Women on Wings’ customers, presents a new collection for women at the Ethical Fashion Show, end of September in Paris, France. It is the first time RangSutra attends this Fashion Show which is a big opportunity for expanding their exports and creating more employment for women.

The light and colourful garments are designed by a team of Indian and French designers and are made by women in rural India. They are a delight and pleasure for the women who will wear this range of soft hand spun, tie dyed and hand embroidered silk and linen dresses, scarves and stoles.

The Ethical Fashion Show celebrates its’7th edition from 25 till 28 September 2010 in Cité de la Mode et du Design in Paris, France.

Look at a video registration of the catwalk show with, amongst other designers, RangSutra's designs.

Fabindia collaboration begins with a quick scan of three COCs

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:48:14 +0200

Women on Wings carried out a quick scan for three community-owned companies (COCs) working for Fabindia, in order to obtain a quick and thorough insight into the strengths and challenges there. Each COC was intensely examined for two days by Dutch experts, together with the management and team, and we then looked at the financial results, product portfolio, production processes, team and skills.

The differences between the COCs in Jaipur, Bhijnor and Hyderabad seemed significant while we were still in India last June. The quick scans will be fully analyzed in the Netherlands by experts, Jan Engels, Matthijs Rosman, Ronald van het Hof and Ellen Tacoma. Based on the results, we will determine, in consultation with Fabindia and the COCs, where to direct focus for growth and reinforcement of the business. Key elements associated with this will be an expansion of working opportunities for women and an increase in turnover. We expect to be able to implement follow-up steps with the various COCs in the autumn of 2010.

Uitnodiging Women on Wings derde verjaardagsfeest!

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:04:06 +0200

Weet je het nog? Women on Wings maakt zich sterk voor het creëren van banen voor Indiase vrouwen op het platteland. Dat is de missie waarmee we ons drie jaar geleden op de kaart hebben gezet. De resultaten na drie jaar? We hebben veel bereikt en een fantastisch netwerk opgebouwd. Daarover praten we je graag bij op ons derde feestelijke verjaardagsfeest op maandag 27 september 2010 in Bunnik. Een avond waarbij we de magische cijfers van drie jaar Women on Wings op een rijtje zetten. Sprekers aan het woord laten. En een bijzondere gast hebben in de persoon van George Parker, corporate magician en alchemist. Hij laat ons zien hoe de chemie tussen de gepassioneerde oprichters en evenzo gepassioneerde vrienden, donateurs en experts een betoverend resultaat voor vrouwen in India opleveren. En natuurlijk is er tijd om nader kennis te maken met andere genodigden, waaronder experts, en met Women on Wings. Dit alles onder het genot van een (Indiaas) hapje en drankje.

Programma:
Inloop vanaf 18.00 uur
18.30 - 19.30 uur Aperitief en Indiaas buffet
19.30 - 20.00 uur Women on Wings; 'de magische cijfers'
20.00 - 20.45 uur George Parker
Vanaf 20.45 borrelen tot ca 21.30 uur

Waar:
De Ridderzaal van kasteel Rhijnauwen (Stayokay), Rhijnauwenselaan 14, 3981 HH Bunnik

Aanmelden:
Wij vragen een bijdrage van € 25,- per persoon voor deze avond, rekening 1364.89.931 t.n.v. stichting Women on Wings. Meld je uiterlijk 15 september a.s. aan via ineke@womenonwings.nl en geef aan met hoeveel personen je komt. Je ontvangt dan snel een bevestiging met een routebeschrijving.

Women on Wings exists three years in September and we will celebrate this event with our relations. Therefore we are really happy to invite you to our third anniversary on Monday, September 27th, from 6 till 10 PM, in Ridderzaal of castle Rhijnauwen (Stayokay), Rhijnauwenselaan 14, 3981 HH Bunnik, The Netherlands.

Sanitary Napkins business for rural women

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:30:57 +0200

UNICEF and Women on Wings are working together to scale up business opportunities in sanitary napkins production in India to support the government policy of promoting MHM for adolescent girls in rural areas in particular. Practices in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, West-Bengal and Maharashtra show that the production and marketing of sanitary napkins give a fair income and employment to women and enables women and girls from poor families to access this crucial feminine hygiene product at reasonable prices. Women on Wings will support local entrepreneurs and small production units that nurture a social objective, with their consultancy in management and marketing to scale up.

UNICEF started 5 years ago spreading information about Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) to girls and their mothers and focussed on facilities (girl's toilets with disposal facilities) in rural government schools to enable girls to attend school without any feeling of discomfort or shame.
In India, poor menstrual hygiene with no reliable access to sanitary napkins has been the cause of reproductive tract infections leading to challenging pregnancy outcomes, compromising both maternal and child health. In different states there are initiatives to produce sanitary napkins. With these first pilots UNICEF and Women on Wings will develop a business model to promote the sanitary napkins business in more areas.

Explosive growth of FabricPlus thanks to new factory

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:27:58 +0200

The opening of the silk-yarn factory at the end of last summer near Guwahati has had a huge impact on FabricPlus, as was clear during a visit by Ellen Tacoma last June. The cultivation and care of silkworms alone has provided jobs for 4,500 women (compared to only 215 last year) and there are also more opportunities to come thanks to significant growth in turnover and a new mix of clients.

The foundation of FabricPlus’s business is silk. The factory near Guwahati, in North-east India, is one of a kind in India as it processes short to super long Eri silk fibres into top-quality yarns. FabricPlus has adapted its product portfolio and now supplies yarns, hand-woven materials by the meter and end products such as hand-woven saris and shawls, stoles, throws etc.. Click here to see a film about the entire process, from silk worms to end products.
Following evaluation of the past year, Ellen, along with FabricPlus, has further expanded the plan made last year. An important development is the start up of own shops. The collaboration will concentrate in the coming year on strengthening organization and processes to make way for future stable growth and profit.

Successful new wholesale strategy: The Ants

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:20:22 +0200

The new wholesale strategy by The Ants is paying off, and this was evident during a recent visit to the shop in Bangalore. Turnover is expected to be at least double in comparison with last year, when the new strategy was determined by Women on Wings experts and The Ants management.

In June, expert Ronald van het Hof worked with The Ants management on priorities till the end of this year, including events and promotions for Diwali and the holiday season, and to set up a fair trade area in the shop. A solution is also being sought to gain working capital to realize further growth (for which there is potential). In the autumn, Women on Wings will work with The Ants management on a comprehensive business plan for 2011/2012.

Flection supports growth of Women on Wings with hardware

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:40:38 +0200

Flection, leading company in re-use of information technology, has again provided hardware to Women on Wings.

Flection International collects annually more than 500,000 surplus and obsolete IT units, and makes them suitable for re-use. With branches in The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, and United Kingdom – employing a combined workforce of 100 highly skilled professionals – Flection is one of the largest enterprises of its type in Europe.
Flection manages the transfer and recycling of used and obsolete IT equipment. Rated as one of the most reliable companies in its field, Flection provides a fast- and high-quality asset management service to IT asset owners.

Flection supports not only Women on Wings, but also has a partnership with Close the Gap.

Fabindia and Women on Wings work together

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:55:49 +0200

Fabindia, the largest retail company in India with more than 100 shops, and Women on Wings recently decided to work together. Their aim is to achieve their joint ambition of ´strengthening and enabling the growth of community owned companies´, with the result of creating jobs for women in rural India.
Fabindia already connects more than 40,000 craft based rural producers to modern urban markets, thereby creating a base for skilled, sustainable rural employment, and preserving India's traditional handicrafts in the process.

Community owned companies (COC's) are organizations which produce hand-made products in rural India. The COC model consists of companies, which act as value adding intermediaries between rural producers and Fabindia. These are owned, as the name suggests, by the communities from which they operate. These organizations produce clothing and household textiles. Beautiful handicrafts based on traditional skills that are translated into contemporary products for the Indian middle class. Fabindia provides a platform in this collaboration for the sale of these products through its shops. Women on Wings supports the COC's with business knowledge, enabling them to achieve long-term growth.

Women on Wings celebrates its 3rd birthday on September 27, 2010

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:32:42 +0200

In September, Women on Wings will have existed three years. Naturally, we will celebrate this with our friends and acquaintances and will be doing so in the evening of Monday September 27 in Stayokay’s Rijn en Fort near Utrecht. You will receive more information about our birthday party in the run-up to September 27, but please make a note of it in your diary.

Our special guest is George Parker, Corporate Magician & Alchemist, who shows that even the impossible is possible, as long as you believe in it...

Women on Wheels wins BiD Challenge

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:25:49 +0200

On June 2, Women on Wheels won the Dutch BiD Challenge for Women in Business Award. Meenu Vadera, the director of Women on Wheels, accepted the 15,000 Euro prize in the presence of Crown Princess Maxima in The Hague for her business plan that had been drawn up based on advice from Women on Wings. Martijn van den Heuvel, an expert for Women on Wings, worked alongside Meenu on the business plan during October 2009.

Women on Wings subsequently nominated the plan for the BiD Challenge of the Dutch organization Business in Development Network. After a lengthy assessment, the business plan was judged the best of the four finalists. Meenu Vadera is proud of her 1st prize and has since been contacted via the BiD Network by a number of investors regarding the future of Women on Wheels. This fantastic prize is a tremendous opportunity for her to professionalize and expand her company further.
Women on Wheels provides safe transport for women by women in Delhi. Women on Wings has been working with Women on Wheels since 2009.

Pictures ©BiD Network

Annual Report 2009 'Beyond the Start of Connecting the World'

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:31:07 +0200

In 2009, Women on Wings experienced significant growth in its number of volunteers/experts, in its number of Indian customers, in collaborations with international businesses and in the organization itself. For 2010, this means a professionalization with which we can ensure our ability to maintain this growth.

The board of Women on Wings has approved the annual report as well as the annual accounts for 2009. The annual accounts for 2009 were prepared by Torstai, Women on Wings' new accountant, in accordance with the guidelines for an ANBI. This new method of bookkeeping for Women on Wings gives a clearer picture of the financial results. Torstai is one of Women on Wings’ Business Wings.

The Annual Report 2009 is available in Dutch and English.

The Annual Accounts 2009 is available in Dutch and English.

Jaarverslag 2009 nu beschikbaar

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:30:23 +0200

Klik op de download button om Jaarverslag 2009 te openen.

Annual Report 2009 now available

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:29:54 +0200

Please use the download button to open the Annual Report 2009.

Jaarrekening 2009 nu beschikbaar

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:18:46 +0200

Klik op de download button om de jaarrrekening 2009 te openen.

Annual Accounts 2009 now available

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:17:15 +0200

You can open the annual accounts 2009 by using the download button.

Let's Colour Projects in India

Wed, 2 Jun 2010 16:30:11 +0200

The Let’s Colour Project is a worldwide initiative to transform grey spaces with vibrant colour. A mission to spread colour all over the world.

The project people are working together with local communities across the globe, rolling up their sleeves to paint streets, houses, schools and squares.

Akzo Nobels' Dulux Paints are being used to colour the world in Jodhpur, India, one of the initiatives of the Let's Colour Project. Watch this film to see how the people of Jodhpur coloured their world. Or have a look at the colourful pictures.

Ode to Earth as network to support Indian producer groups

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:22:26 +0200

Ode to Earth has developed into a network delivering design, product and marketing support to Indian producer groups and community owned companies. During the pre-launch of Ode to Earth on 8th April this year in Jaipur, the ideas were tested with a group of 50 potential network participants. Women on Wings supports ACCESS Development Services in the development of this network and activities with marketing and communication skills.

The purpose of the network is for members to develop economically in order to create more jobs. By 2015, the Ode to Earth network will provide access to markets for 100 members representing 50,000 artisans.

Nicolette Biessels, co-founder/ -owner of 2 in Beweging and Ineke Bezembinder of Women on Wings began work at the beginning of April with an Ode to Earth team from ACCESS on the network’s positioning and on a concrete action plan for the first year. Activities included knowledge sharing through meetings, a website and an annual event in Delhi.

During the first Ode to Earth market event in 2008, Women on Wings held ‘Knowing your Customer’ workshops for the participants. The next Ode to Earth market event will take place from 18th to 21st November 2010 in Delhi. Prior to the event, Women on Wings will once again provide workshops for participants.

Rupa Girish is new Indian consultant

Wed, 12 May 2010 15:09:19 +0200

On 15th April, Rupa Girish began working as Women on Wings’ third consultant in India. Rupa is based in Mumbai, where the focus will be on building relationships with new clients and on analyzing and supporting new programs.

Rupa has worked in India and in the Netherlands and has a variety of experience with corporate and in implementing sustainable practices. Upon completing her Master’s in Environmental Management from the Netherlands, she setup the “Green Hearts Club” at Tata Consultancy Services Europe working very closely with the local bodies.

In analyzing programs, Rupa is able to develop a better view of the various options within a program. Just like the first consultants in India, Tanveen and Prachi, Rupa will also be trained for the advice trajectories with our Indian clients.

Rupa’s motivation in working for Women on Wings: "Every drop adds to the ocean, my journey with Women on Wings is to share in the vision and be a source for uplifting and enabling better lives for women in the developing world”.

Workshops on marketing and sales

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 13:48:18 +0200

Do you know the basics of business? How do you get profit out of your business? And how do you focus on the correct channels to sell your products? Women on Wings supported a three day training course with 15 manufacturing companies with workshops about sales strategy, sales attitude and product strategy. During three workshops people were invited to practice several aspects of the theory, with concrete ideas to start using tomorrow.

Most customers are presented with sufficient choice when purchasing their products. So how can you convince them to buy your products? Ellen and Maria explained that it is all about asking yourself the right questions: Do I have insight into my sales revenues? Who is buying what? What kind of customers do I have? The workshop on Sales Attitude gave participants a hands-on experience in being the most fantastic seller. Selling is about making your customers happy. The third workshop on product strategy covered the stars, the cash cows, the question marks and dogs of the BCG matrix; to create better insight into the product portfolio.

The participants were very happy and rated the three workshops at 4 or 5 on a scale of 1-5. In written feedback the practical exercises made the difference. As one said: “extremely helpful in explaining strategy to a layman”.

Customer research on paint related products

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 13:46:43 +0200

Last February AkzoNobel and Women on Wings carried out customer research in Delhi. 138 visitors to the Basant Bazaar gave feedback on questions about stencils and repainted furniture, made by women in Bikaner and Bangalore. 86% of the respondents were open to the concept of stenciled products and 60% were willing to pay between INR 50 - 500 for a stencil kit.

The collaboration with AkzoNobel is about creating painting jobs for 10,000 women in rural areas. The research was about views on using stencils and stenciled products, pricing of stencil kits, design preference, product preference and areas at home where they might like to use it. Bedrooms followed by living rooms and children’s rooms emerged as the favorite places for wall art. Stenciled trays and photo frames were the most popular products.

In the next phase of the study, AkzoNobel and Women on Wings will work with a retailer in India on handmade and homemade products, to display the products in some of their shops and create an idea book on how to use the stencils.

2009 Logistics Manager of the Year Election

Thu, 1 Apr 2010 13:46:04 +0200

Along with DHL Express, Women on Wings gave a workshop entitled ‘Logistics Opportunities and Challenges in India’ to 30 participants during the 2009 Logistics Manager of the Year Election in Rotterdam on 4 March. The workshop was about the economical development within India, the logistical differences between urban and rural India and three cases were dealt with. Next to this, participants were given the assignment of working in teams on a logistics challenge in rural India. A stiff task with the limited infrastructure in rural India.

The Logistics Manager of the Year Election is a DHL Express initiative and is supported by the Vereniging Logistiek Management (Association Logistic Management). It was organized for the fifth time this year and took place in the Van Nelle Development Factory in Rotterdam. During the event, three finalists were presented, various workshops took place and entrepreneur, Annemarie van Gaal, and football trainer, Mario Been, spoke to those in attendance. The winner was announced at the end of the event: Duco Buijze, Director of Operations at Lekkerland Nederland.

Two Indian consultants as of March 1, 2010

Wed, 3 Mar 2010 22:33:05 +0100

As of 1 March, Prachi Grover and Tanveen Ratti have become consultants for Women on Wings in India. Both ladies are entrepreneurs and have a great deal of experience in marketing and sales. Prachi (left on photo) has six years’ experience with corporations in India (inc. VF Arvind Brands Ltd, TVS Motor Company) and Tanveen (right on photo) is an entrepreneur, designer and lecturer.

The consultants will work part-time for Women on Wings, during which Prachi’s initial focus will be on relations with companies and giving workshops, and Tanveen will focus on relationships with new clients. Tanveen and Prachi are the first points of contact in India. Both consultants will be trained for their advisory programs with our Indian contacts.

More than 4500 energy saving Green Buttons sold

Wed, 3 Mar 2010 22:22:10 +0100

For every Green Button sold, € 1 goes to Women on Wings. Enterprising students sold the Green Buttons as part of their course project for which they had to run a mini-enterprise linked to a charity. Their target was to sell 250 buttons but they sold significantly more. The eight students of TIO University of Applied Sciences for hospitality and tourism (International Tourism Management) in Utrecht sold 554 buttons and also made an extra donation from their profits, resulting in a total of € 696,41.

An order for no less than 4000 Green Buttons turned out to be too large for the mini-enterprise within the course project (legal reasons), but three of the eight students were so determined to take on the order that they started their own company in order to be able to do so. These three young entrepreneurs are also donating € 1 to Women on Wings for each Green Button sold by their commercial company.

The Green Button is a button that can be attached to a computer via a USB connection. When a computer is switched on but not being used it loses a great deal of energy. By using the Green Button, you can switch the computer in and out of energy saving mode at the push of a button.

Greater client diversity for Sadhna

Wed, 3 Mar 2010 22:18:57 +0100

A team of experts advised Sadhna on ways to increase turnover. Sadhna has since been diligent in following up the client database, with very positive expectations, and is creating a better balance between its larger and smaller clients.

Expert Jan Engels returned to India at the beginning of February to discuss progress with Sadhna. Half of the action points established in November 2009 have since been implemented. These action points were established in order to create better equilibrium between large and small orders. Part of the advice given in November was to split up the organization in order to create a clearer focus per client type and to be able to work in a more standardized way. Work must now be done on this new flexible organizational structure.

Sadhna has also been busy with product and new design development and started exporting to Europe, Asia and the USA. They are looking forward to increase their client base in these markets. A new Dutch company has indicated its wish to collaborate with Sadhna. The company will begin with a product line called Silverline, which refers to the silver-like hope that the company wants to give to the women making the products. The first step is for Sadhna to make a number of samples for three Silverline products.

New customer Sandur challenging and inspiring

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 11:01:43 +0100

Experts Alma Feenstra and Miranda Noordenbos worked at Sandur, a new customer in the Indian province of Karnataka, for whom 500 women create handiwork products. Women on Wings was approached by AIACA-Sandur for advice on issues to achieve long term growth for Sandur. Sandur has collaborated with AIACA to develop and implement a plan for achieving sustainable growth. AIACA is a membership based NGO working in handloom and handicrafts sectors in India.

The experts advised in November 2009 on reducing stocks that were piling up, gaining insight into market and product segmentation, further development of the brand and charting and utilizing management information in order to support Sandur's marketing and sales efforts. Sandur’s operational management with regard to the production of textiles, dyeing and administration is simple but their creation of end products is quite intensive. Our advisement directly lead to narrowing the product assortment, setting up account, sales and production wings, and defining and approaching various sales channels.

At the strategic level, Alma (Head of corporate communication of the Public Broadcast of the Netherlands and owner of Abantu) and Miranda (owner of Magnetics Coaching & Development) discussed a new direction which Sandur intends to take. The company needs this new course of action to face the competition from factory production in urban areas. The plan is to develop the current Sandur community into a tourist center for western tourists within two years. Tourists will be able to follow courses in Sandur and learn how traditional handiwork products are created. This can be combined with an excursion to Hampi, a Unesco World Heritage site, a short distance away from Sandur.

Doing business with other cultures, DHL and Women on Wings enter into a partnership

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:07:11 +0100

DHL has entered into a partnership with Women on Wings. “Through sharing our logistical knowledge, we can further help the development of the organization and the women of India,” says Jan Engels, Managing Director of Marketing and Sales in the Benelux. “Our people’s talent is used to help achieve the targets of Women on Wings and to properly use the talents of Indian women. Moreover, this inspires and motivates our own employees through the Corporate Social Responsibility aspect, the creative use of knowledge and learning about other cultures. There is however a serious business element to all of this. SME (Small and Midsize Enterprises) is the key word for both parties; Women on Wings focuses on SME in India and has specific knowledge of the countryside. DHL is familiar with Small and Midsize Enterprises in the Netherlands, but does not really make optimal use of the international opportunities. India is a growth market and with Women on Wings we will be able to focus our attentions there. In brief, it is a collaboration that offers added value to all those involved, both economically and socially. “

Find here all information about products and services of DHL Express.

Sadhna: textiles made with respect for women and the environment

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:03:11 +0100

Jurgen Staring and Jan Engels of DHL Express Benelux and Ellen Tacoma visited Sadhna in Udaipur in November 2009. Sadhna received the Women on Wings team in the most professional manner and, during the visit, continuously provided them with valuable information. The issue in question concerned the successful creation and expansion of the unit for smaller orders. It soon appeared that a point for improvement was the application of a proper balance between large and small orders from various clients; a balance that, in future, must safeguard the continuity of Sadhna (and with it, working opportunities for women) via a flexible organisational structure.

The proposal that we worked out together includes increasing the turnover from small clients. And this requires attention and focus. Orders for large and small clients are therefore dealt with by separate departments; this creates a clearer focus per type of client and standardisation where possible. This is an important change for Sadhna as they have not implemented any segmentation up until now. This means that small and large clients were dealt with in the same way.
We have also worked out how new clients can be found, which products Sadhna can use to build on its international branding, and how the existing client database can be systematically improved within Sadhna.

‘Our team enjoyed a wonderful time; not only because it was great to get practically involved and to receive positive feedback from the Sadhna team, but also because we got to know each other better during the process. I am already looking forward to a follow up in February’, says Jan Engels.

Ghanerao: experience personal hospitality and 400 years of Rajput history

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:52:45 +0100

Last November Women on Wings were invited by the Singh family to explore ideas for a community based tourism concept for their property in Ghanerao, Rajasthan. The team worked closely with the Singh family who have lived in Ghanerao for more than 25 generations. The castle has been a heritage hotel for many years, but the family was recently able to reconstruct the jungle lodge which is located in the middle of a national park, just a short distance from the castle.

The team, Jurgen Staring and Jan Engels of DHL and Ellen Tacoma of Women on Wings, were faced with a two-part question - how could we involve the people living in the immediate surrounding area with the castle and lodge, and how could we use the completion of the jungle lodge to reintroduce Ghanerao to the market in a more interesting way and to secure work opportunities. Together, we developed a plan with a few issues that were particularly notable. Ghanerao and the Singh family have a history to tell that spans over 400 years and includes many exciting anecdotes.

The castle, in combination with the national park, is a very attractive place to stay. The family’s style and working methods, involving local people and thereby creating work opportunities, are impressive. As well as this, the family welcomes you as a guest and not as a customer, making your stay much more personal. The plan is currently being implemented; the official opening is the first important event in drawing maximum attention within the travel world and press.

RangSutra: working on a strong brand

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:45:57 +0100

On 23 November 2009, Ellen Tacoma and Matthijs Rosman led a workshop for RangSutra. RangSutra provides more than 1,000 artisans in remote areas of India with work. This work is the key to establishing a sustainable existence.

RangSutra asked Women on Wings for its support in the further development of its brand and in the realization of a position within the European export market. During a one day workshop, Ellen and Matthijs, Senior Consultant at Boer & Croon NeXtrategy, along with a team of designers from RangSutra, worked on the Brand compass, possibilities for further expansion of the RangSutra brand by using social media and the characteristics of the European market for household textiles (bed linen, table linen, kitchen textiles, etc).

The workshop has led to a fantastic strengthening of RangSutra’s positioning: Home to Home. This positioning underlines the fact that RangSutra’s quality products are made at home, in an honest way, and are used by customers in their own home. This establishes a direct link between RangSutra’s mission (sustainable living) and the product (household textiles). Together, we have established which products best apply to this positioning. We have also researched the implications this will have for the organization.

How to benefit from the database

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:44:24 +0100

This was the question we answered together. In November of last year, Nitin, Narendra and Kavita of Seva Mandir and Ellen Tacoma of Women on Wings worked together to define how Seva Mandir could further benefit from her database.
Over the last decades the organization managed its relationship with some key partners and a limited group of smaller relations. Today the environment has changed. There are still a number of large partners which make the fundament of Seva Mandir possible; however the group of smaller donators has expanded significantly. To gain proper insight and to maintain this, the management of an up to date database is vital. One which provides answers to questions such as: who donates what, to which project, what is the frequency of donation and what are their other interests; questions that give insight into the characteristics of various donors.

Together, we looked at whether the database meets current requirements. Fortunately it does. And even more importantly, how the information deduced from the database can be used as a basis for fundraising actions. In order to work in a focused and efficient way with the limited tools available. It is about asking questions, being interested in client behavior.
The great enthusiasm and creativity of the team has helped to develop a plan for the coming eight months that will support Seva Mandir to realize its fundraising targets. We are currently working hard on the implementation of this plan.

Goede doelen actie &Samhoud Women; breng je stem uit en help Women on Wings

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 14:55:41 +0100

In het kader van het nieuwe jaar stelt &Samhoud Women € 1.000 beschikbaar voor drie goede doelen waarop gestemd kan worden, waaronder Women on Wings. Het bedrag wordt verdeeld onder de drie goede doelen aan de hand van het aantal stemmen. Ga naar http://www.samhoudwomen.nl/ en klik op de kerstboom om te stemmen. Stemmen kan tot 12 januari 2010.

&Samhoud Women is een netwerk voor en door vrouwen. Zij geloven dat door het verbinden van vrouwelijk toptalent vrouwen elkaar goed kunnen helpen, inspireren en motiveren. Met het netwerk wordt een uniek platform geboden waar ideeën, meningen en kennis uitgewisseld kan worden met als doel gezamenlijk initiatieven te ontplooien ter stimulering van vrouwelijk leiderschap.

12 januari 2010, de uitkomst van de actie:

Women on Wings heeft 14% van de stemmen gekregen en ontvangt daarvoor 140 euro van &Samhoud Women. De andere twee goede doelen, Microkrediet voor Moeders en Stichting fonds Catharine van Tussenbroek, kregen respectievelijk 80% en 6% van de stemmen.

Alle stemmers hartelijk bedankt!

Joyful 2010!

Sat, 2 Jan 2010 16:14:16 +0100

Women on Wings wishes you a healthy, happy and joyful 2010. We continue to work confidently, enthusiastically and with commitment toward our goal: the creation of one million jobs for women in India. Women on Wings thanks you for a remarkable 2009 and warmly invites you to make an inspiring contribution in 2010 to a joyful and more peaceful world. Happy New Year!

The Calibris Knowledge Centre supports knowledge exchange in India

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:29:49 +0100

Calibris, a knowledge centre for the teaching of practical care, wellbeing and sport, has supported Women on Wings thanks to its annual end of year action: Calibris donated the amount that would ordinarily be spent on Christmas cards to clients to a number of good causes. Calibris staff were invited to suggest their own charity. One of the criteria was that it had to be a project in which the employee themselves, a family member or friend was directly involved. Nan Besseler, the sister-in-law of Jan Engels, who worked as an expert for Women on Wings on the Ghanerao Royal Castle Eco Lodge project in India last November, submitted this project as a charity. Ultimately, 19 projects met the criteria, including the Ghanerao Royal Castle Eco Lodge for Women on Wings, and Calibris decided to share out the available amount between the 19 projects. Calibris supports Women on Wings with a donation of 350 Euros.

Marketing workshops at the Nature Bazaar

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 19:39:49 +0100

On November 11, Dastkar and Women on Wings organised three workshops at the Nature Bazaar in New Delhi. The themes related to visual merchandising (how to promote the selling of your products), sales attitude (7 golden rules for increased sales) and knowing your customer. The attendees were very enthusiastic. For 2010, Women on Wings will support Dastkar in setting up an in-house training programme.
Dastkar organises trade fairs where organisations from rural places in India can sell their products. These fairs serve as important outlets for these organisations, enabling them to sell their products to people from the Indian middle class. These exhibitions are also a place for them to learn more about their customers.
Interviews and mystery shopping were undertaken by Women on Wings so that they could analyse how to be successful at fairs. Maria, Ellen and Martijn van den Heuvel, owner of Yellow Hill, organised a one-day workshop for 25 rural organisations and taught them how to become successful at fairs.

Friendship is the best gift you can give at Christmas

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 19:32:48 +0100

Are you still looking for a fantastic gift for your parents/sister/colleague or long distance friend? How about friendship; it’s the best gift you could give another person. With the Women on Wings ‘Friendship Wings’, you can give your friendship along with a hand-woven shawl as a gift to anyone you like. Not only will you be giving a unique gift, but you will also be helping Women on Wings achieve their goal of creating jobs for women in India. The person receiving your friendship will also receive a one-year membership and a beautiful shawl hand-woven from 100% wool by women in India. It will be accompanied by a participation certificate stating your name as the giver and containing more information about Women on Wings. After a year, your friend will be invited to extend their ‘Friendship Wings’ membership for themselves.

If you would like to give the gift of Friendship Wings to yourself, please read how to do this here. You will be sent a hand-woven shawl for yourself.
Revenue from the ‘Friendship Wings’ (100 euro) is spent on projects undertaken by Women on Wings. ‘Friendship Wings’ is part of the membership programme ‘Wings around Women on Wings’.

Download the Friendship Wings gift form here:

Crafting sustainable business with The Ants

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 18:11:47 +0100

In November, The Ants, a Public Charitable Trust with producer groups in the North East and a store in Bangalore, worked with experts of Women on Wings on issues related to how to improve a sustainable business, such as retail concepts, wholesale strategy, organisation design and management principles. For six days, they worked closely together with The Ants team in Bangalore, using interviews with customers, brainstorms with management and staff, and visits to comparable and competing stores, to find the answers to their questions. They even undertook the joint production of in-store promotional materials and visual merchandising. They were joined by Ineke, the office manager at Women on Wings, who worked with the sales staff on the visual merchandise in the store.

Matthijs Rosman, a senior consultant at Boer & Croon and Ronald van het Hof, Director Operations at The Cookie Company, were both impressed by the passion and unbridled drive of the management, who is dedicated to improving the lives of many in the rural North East region. Both The Ants and the Women on Wings team are committed to working together for the next three years, in which they will all contribute to the sustainable growth of The Ants.

How do you get orders for 1000 women?

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 18:07:58 +0100

How do you get more orders for 1000 women who are trained and skilled in appliqué and embroidery? Martijn van den Heuvel and Maria of Women on Wings worked together with the UJAS Pugal team in Bikaner on a new marketing and sales strategy. By focusing on the right product range, a plan was made to expand their current sales.

UJAS is a subsidiary of the NGO Udyogini and its purpose is to become a sustainable and profitable production and marketing company for women in the Thar Desert. At present, more than 1000 women are trained and skilled in making handicrafts. However, UJAS does not have enough orders to provide work for all these women.

Martijn and Maria have organised two workshops with the management of UJAS to help improve their marketing and sales activities, with particular focus on the next six months. Current sales and marketing channels were analysed, a decision was made about the product range and actions were formulated to expand current sales.

Furthermore, Women on Wings analysed the current situation and discussed future organisation models with Udyogini which would enable the majority of women to benefit from their new skills. Udyogini will be exploring new models for their women during the coming months.

Super women of the Thar Desert

Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:32:00 +0100

Connecting people

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 10:01:47 +0100

Creating 7,500 jobs in natural fibre handicraft, in 28 different rural areas, in five years. That is the target of the ambitious AHVY-program of the Indian government as given to the Industree Crafts Foundation (ICF) in Bangalore. Neelam Chhiber, the inspiring founder of Industree Crafts, asked Women on Wings to help ICF by organizing a workshop for the staff responsible for this program.
Maria and Femke worked out a 3 day program for the different target groups in this program and explored with them the concept of community owned businesses. The first two days we worked on the value chain of producing and selling natural fibre products. Together with artisans from Veeravanallur (south of Tamil Nadu), field coordinators from 5 different states and staff members of Industree Crafts, we discussed the problems that occur during the process from collecting the raw material (river grass, water hyacinth, etc.) to selling the products (mats...) in one of the Mother Earth shops. For the first time these groups were connected and listened to each other. We introduced the ‘law of Santa Claus’: if you don’t ask for what you want, you will get/receive something else.’
On the third day we focused on the action plan of the field coordinators in the AHVY-program. By presenting their 5 next steps, we made an overall roadmap for the coming 6 months. It was inspiring to support these young and well-educated field managers in making a SMART action plan and putting together a strong team along with the experienced staff of ICF.
Femke Zwaal, who joined Women on Wings for the first time, was impressed at the commitment and support that the participants of the workshop showed. ‘We worked very hard together and taught the participants to take care of their own responsibilities, which is one of the first conditions for creating community owned businesses.’
In addition to this workshop, Industree Crafts also joined in with the pilot of AkzoNobel on repainting furniture. During three days, 4 artisans were invited in the Mother Earth-shop and painted several pieces on a traditional way. They also used stencils provided by AkzoNobel.

Entering the home d�cor market

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 9:58:20 +0100

How to create 10,000 jobs in rural parts of India? With this question in mind, Women on Wings have begun a collaboration with AkzoNobel to look at creating employment opportunities for women in rural and semi urban areas. Last month, Women on Wings and Dulux Paints (a leading premium paint brand in India owned by AkzoNobel Decorative Paints), started work on a plan for using paint to create these opportunities. Two pilots are being initiated as the result of this plan: repainting furniture and making stencils for decorating interior walls.
The first one, repainting furniture and home accessories, was worked out in a workshop in Bangalore from October 22 till 25. In the Mother Earth store in Bangalore 4 artisans from Karnataka painted different pieces of wooden furniture and baskets with different Dulux Paints to create new and interesting pieces.
Customers could bring in their furniture and accessories to be customized and painted with traditional arts, with stencils or just coloured in a colour of Dulux paint. It was an exciting experience for the artisans involved.
Ratika Mehra of AkzoNobel, Delhi: ‘The artisans enjoyed working with our paints. It was a new medium for them as they are used to working with inks or pigments. The final products were quite modern and new compared to what is traditionally available. All the people involved in the workshop were very excited about the number of different items that we could create in a short space of time.’
In November there will be ‘repainting furniture’ workshops in the Mother Earth stores of Mumbai and New-Delhi.

Mother Earth store

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 9:55:13 +0100

11,000 square feet of eco-friendly products: in the Mother Earth store in Bangalore you can find 29,400 different hand made products from all over India. The shop has a concept with products in three themes: home furniture, apparel and food. Mother Earth is a retail concept of Industree Crafts: it is India’s first green store, providing retail space for sustainable and social brands - committed to a greener and fairer planet. Providing markets for primary producers; products are produced in a fair and equitable manner, employing processes and materials that are least harmful to the environment, harnessing and preserving the traditional skills. There are now four Mother Earth stores in India since their latest store opened in Mumbai last August. The ambition of Industree Crafts is to have 40 stores operational in 5 years.

Making India work

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 9:53:48 +0100

William Bissell presents a practical roadmap to secure inclusive growth through inclusive cooperate governance. For a nation that has one of the highest growth rates in the world, India is plagued by poverty and corruption. ‘India is not a poor country. It is a poorly managed country’. 60 years after independence, India accounts for around 36% per cent of the world’s poor – more than in the whole of Africa – living on less than a dollar a day. Bissell challenges the future of a nation, rich in human and natural resources, and with 77% of the population classified as ‘poor and vulnerable’.
William Bissell, managing director of the successful FabIndia chain, with almost 100 shops in India with handmade rural products, believes India’s poverty is a direct result of its poor management by ruling elites who have mastered the art of winning elections but have no interest in the deeper issues of governance. He argues that economic development that consumes large amounts of natural resources and generates enormous pollution is not a luxury available to countries that are beginning their development now.
Instead he proposes a radical new paradigm for development that delinks consumption from quality of life without destroying the natural environment in the process. Femke Zwaal, who spotted this book: ‘This book gives a good overview of the complexity of the Indian society and it contains inspiring ideas, not only for India but also for the global world.’

Securing knowledge with Cordaid

Thu, 5 Nov 2009 9:51:52 +0100

Cordaid will support Women on Wings over the next two years by training consultants in India. Women on Wings has recently opened an office in Delhi. The idea is to link Indian management, marketing and communication consultants to a more market focused creation of organisations in rural areas. Just like the Dutch experts, these professionals will support Indian organisations with knowledge, making faster expansion possible and bringing the target of creating one million jobs for women in rural India one step closer.

From the start, the whole point of Women on Wings has been to secure knowledge in India. In the first instance, within the organisations with which we work, after which the next step can then be taken: training Indian consultants according to the practical working methods employed by Women on Wings. Indian consultants will acquire and take care of the intake of new organisations for Women on Wings to support. They will be the contact point for the organisations we already work with. Secondly, they will also implement the advice trajectory themselves with new and existing organisations. Thanks to the amazing contribution of Cordaid, Women on Wings will be able to organise this trajectory in a reliable and professional manner. For Cordaid, the distribution of knowledge and sharing of experience is a core belief. Read more about it at www.cordaid.nl

Enterprising students support enterprising women in India

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:53:59 +0100

Eight students from the TIO University of Applied Sciences for hospitality and tourism in Utrecht (studying International Tourism Management) are carrying out a Mini-Enterprise project. They will have to start up and run a business within 18 months. The students have since begun their Green Team enterprise. Green Team sells Green Buttons and donates part of the profit from this to Women on Wings.
The Green Button is connected via a USB connection to a computer (both desk or laptop). When a computer is switched on but is idle or not in use it loses energy. The Green Button allows you to set the computer to an energy saving mode and then back into use again with just one push of the button. A highly socially responsible product that also saves money!
Green Team also links profit to charity, doubling its contribution to a better world. The enterprising women behind Green Team have chosen Women on Wings, and the reason for this is that both organisations employ female entrepreneurship in moving towards a better world. Green Team donates one Euro to Women on Wings for every Green Button sold (sale price is € 11.25). The hope is for a total turnover of 250 buttons and therefore € 250 for Women on Wings.
Visit the Green Team online for further information about the Green Button and how you can order them.

Annual Report 2008 now available

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:48:28 +0100

Women on Wings' Annual Report 2008 is now available. You can open the Report by using the download button.

Book: '52 Simple ways to rid the world of poverty'

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:56:46 +0200

On 17 October, World Poverty Day, Antonie Kamerling presented the book ‘52 simpele manieren om armoede de wereld uit te helpen' (52 simple ways to rid the world of poverty) in Donner Selexys' bookshop in Rotterdam. This event was part of the world-wide protest 'Stand Up and Take Action'.

The book offers a series of practical, positive, funny and surprising tips that inspire people to take immediate action and contribute to ridding the world of poverty. One of these tips was supplied by Women on Wings.

The book and the accompanying website were created by Brighter World in collaboration with EEN. All profits from the book will go to EEN. EEN is an initiative of 60 social and development organisations. EEN is Dutch, but is part of a world-wide movement against poverty, which includes ONE in America, Make Poverty History in Britain, and Wada Na Todo in India. Every year, EEN coordinates the protest 'Stand Up and Take Action', in the course of which millions of people make a stand against poverty.

Fons and Jacqui Burger have a communications agency in Rotterdam that is dedicated to sustainable and fair-trade initiatives. Last year, they wrote the successful book '52 Simpele manieren om de wereld te veranderen' (52 Simple ways to change the world).

The book is available from 17 October 2009 at bookshops via www.52x.nu or via www.een.nl and costs € 14.90.

Happy Diwali 2009!

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 9:45:09 +0200

Today, October 17th, is Diwali, the Festival of Light. Women on Wings wishes all her Indian relations and friends a happy Diwali with their near and dear ones.

Diwali is a major Indian festival, celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe as the "Festival of Lights", where the lights or lamps signify victory of good over the evil within every human being. Diwali may have originated as a harvest festival, marking the last harvest of the year before winter. The deity of wealth in Hinduism, goddess Lakshmi, is therefore thanked on this day and everyone prays for a good year ahead. The day is celebrated with people lighting diyas, candles all around their house. Diwali gifts are exchanged among all near and dear ones.

Two years of Women on Wings: 1500 jobs

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:07:08 +0200

Women on Wings celebrated on 28 September. A party to celebrate that, two years ago, Maria van der Heijden and Ellen Tacoma used their initiative to begin supporting enterprising women in India with their knowledge and expertise. The celebration included over 120 enthusiastic guests and interested parties. It was a party with experts who, via Women on Wings, have already implemented their expertise and skills in India and with experts who are about to do so. And it was a celebration that included a very special guest from India: Sumita Ghose, director of one of the Indian companies with which Women on Wings works.

1500 jobs
Two years of Women on Wings has achieved fantastic results: 1500 jobs, a dozen experts who implement their own skills to help female Indian entrepreneurs, and collaborative links with 12 Indian businesses. And the ambitions stretch still further: by 2012, Women on Wings wants to have created 50,000 jobs, in collaboration with 50 Indian organisations.

Vitality
In just a short time, Women on Wings has built up a distinguished track record, says Ellen Tacoma proudly in her welcome message. But it is sorely needed, she emphasises. ‘750 million people live in rural India. Yet there is only work for 75 million people. There are a huge number of unemployed people. Our challenge is to bring work to the countryside; as it is vital to safeguard the vitality of the villages. This is the contribution we want to make.’

An alternative future
People in the countryside have certain skills. ‘We want to translate those skills into beautiful products to be sold.’ Ellen Tacoma gave the example of the women’s cooperation, Sadhna (Udaipur). Women on Wings helped to develop their marketing policy: who are your clients, what quality are you looking for, what price will clients pay? In the meantime, the quality of the products has improved notably. The cooperative has grown from 400 to 700 women. Turnover has doubled. ‘A woman with an income means food for her family. It means schooling for the children. And that is how we can contribute to an alternative future for rural areas.’

Put your arms around Women on Wings and give women in India wings
Want to help towards an alternative future? Women on Wings has introduced three ways to help: the Friendship Wings, the Expert Wings and the Business Wings. Three different ways to make a real contribution to creating jobs for women in India. On Women on Wings’ second birthday, 85 people had already wrapped their arms around Women on Wings with Friendship Wings.

Have a look at this photo book and get a feeling of Women on Wings' second anniversary. The cakes are sponsored by Cherries on Top.

Two years of Women on Wings: a few figures for you

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:03:03 +0200

* 1500 jobs in two years
* More than 15 expert visits
* Collaboration with 12 Indian organisations
* 85 Friendship Wings in one evening
* The ambition up to 2012:
- 50,000 jobs in collaboration with 50 Indian organisations
- 50 experts from the Netherlands using their knowledge and expertise to support female Indian entrepreneurs
- 5 international companies working with Women on Wings
- 50 new links between east and west

Rangsutra: doubling of workers and 10% dividend

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:56:03 +0200

‘Our first thought was for the producer; Women on Wings helped us to better understand the client,’ says Sumita Ghose, director of Rangsutra, concisely summing up the collaboration with Women on Wings.
Sumita Ghose came specially from India to celebrate the birthday of Women on Wings. Rangsutra works with artisans in Rajasthan and with women in particular. They make clothing and other items in the traditional manner. Rangsutra has been working with Women on Wings since 2007. Dutch marketing and communication experts have been able to give the organisation an economic boost through the advice they have provided via Women on Wings, says Sumita Ghose.

Work and income
The results are clear. Rangsutra began with 1000 artisans. Now there is work for 2000 artisans. Two thirds of them are women. They come from the lowest social and economic levels of society, but they are the backbone of our company. ‘Rangsutra offers these marginalised groups work and income’, says Sumita Ghose. ‘During the 2008-2009 financial year, we were even able to pay out a 10% dividend to our workers as the artisans are also shareholders. Most of them had never even had a bank account...’

Involved shareholders
‘Rangsutra is so successful that even boys are now learning embroidery because it pays so much,’ laughs Sumita. But it is not only an economic success story. Traditional skills that have passed from generation to generation and which were under threat are now thriving. Moreover, Rangsutra also contributes to a change of mindset. Sumita: ‘The workers are no longer passive apprentices, but shareholders who feel involved in the company. They have faith in their own skills.’

Dutch experts share India experience

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:50:11 +0200

‘What were two advertising lads from Amsterdam doing in Rajasthan? Very simple: there aren’t any advertising agencies in Rajasthan and costs for communication advice over there are exorbitant. You can only get it at great cost in Delhi. However, the NGO, Seva Mandir in Udaipur, had a positioning issue and wanted to deal with their branding. So these two advertising lads from Amsterdam found themselves in Rajasthan. And it seemed that our expert eye was of real use in India. You really can make a difference. We had a week to help put together an important presentation for investors. We had one laptop and one printer, but a pair of scissors turned out to be the most important tool in the end. ‘Less is more’ being the best possible maxim for communication. We cut and paste to get the essence out of the documentation. It was hard work because of the climate and because of the culture. But it was a huge success and it was real teamwork.’
Paul van ’t Velt (picture left) & Henk Seelt (picture right) of Neus am*dam.

Handmade shawls gift for Friendship Wings members

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:01:11 +0200

If you join our Friendship Wings now, you will receive a beautiful handwoven shawl, made of 100% wool. You can choose from a mens shawl in grey and black with small purple embroidery, or a ladies shawl in purple with orange and pink embroidery; orange flowers and pink wings, both with shiny sequens.

The shawls are designed for Women on Wings by Rangsutra, one of the organizations Women on Wings works with in India. Artisans near the city of Bikaner made the shawls which are unique and for Women on Wings Friendship Wings members only. The ladies shawl took 12 hours to make: 4 hours for weaving the shawl and another 8 hours for the embroidery.

So support the work of Women on Wings and register as Friendship Wings and receive a beautiful shawl.

RSM Alumni Award for Maria and Women on Wings

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:47:56 +0200

On September 10 Maria van der Heijden was presented with the award as one of the four leaders active at the forefront of the global business environment. The objective of the RSM/Erasmus University award is to recognise alumni who have distinguished themselves through excellence and to honour their achievements in a number of areas.

Dean George Yip of the RSM/Erasmus University said: “Maria has taken her business skills and her own money to help a marginalised group of women overcome poverty and create their own businesses. Having seen Maria and her colleagues at work, I believe she will succeed. Maria studied Business Management in Rotterdam and proves every day that the lessons learned can provide significant help to those who need our help the most.”

Maria founded Women on Wings two years ago together with Ellen Tacoma. Women on Wings is a foundation that supports the position of (poor) women in India by providing them with management and marketing skills and other business solutions. In doing so, the organisation helps women to become financially independent. The target is to create a million jobs in India for these women.

The other three winners of the RSM Distinguished Alumni Awards in 2009 are
- Boudewijn Beerkens, CFO of Wolters Kluwer
- Else Boutkan, Managing Director of Something Else
- Feike Sijbesma, CEO of DSM

http://www.rsm.nl/portal/page/portal/home/news/detail?p_item_id=5702515

Ellen supports TIAS/NIMBAS Leadership Program

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:45:42 +0200

On September 18 Ellen Tacoma will support a TIAS/NIMBAS Leadership Program by sharing her business experiences of India. The entrepreneurial approach of Women on Wings is an example of doing business in another way in developing countries. It is not about giving aid but is more concerned with providing people with knowledge to enable them to expand their businesses.

The students of the Business University TIAS/NIMBAS - http://www.tiasnimbas.edu - would like to hear Ellen talk about the kind of support needed by small businesses in a developing country and how they can use their skills in this environment. The experiences of Women on Wings inspire people and help them make decisions about what they really want to do.

A group of students will be visiting Gambia next December to practice their business skills in a different environment. Last year the students helped women make soap and think about ways to improve their soap making business. The Personal Leadership Program is two years long. This training also discusses what it is they want to contribute to this world and what gifts people can bring to others.

FabricPlus celebrates opening of silk factory in Assam

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 15:26:55 +0200

On 19 August, FabricPlus celebrated the official opening of its factory in Assam (North East India) in the presence of the Union Minister of Textiles. The arrival of this factory will create an enormous growth in working opportunities. FabricPlus, a client of Women on Wings since this year, combines old traditions from the time of the silk route with the newest technologies from China.
The factory alone has already generated 80 extra jobs for women, and more women will be appointed soon. In addition, 4,000 people in the surrounding villages work in silk production, from farming silk worms to weaving products. 90% of these people are women.
FabricPlus has total control over silk production and aims to become one of the world’s top silk producers and suppliers of high end textile products.
Watch this film showing the impressive process at FabricPlus.

Women on Wings opens India office

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 15:25:26 +0200

This month, Women on Wings opens an office in New Delhi, India; taking an important step in accelerating and strengthening contact with (new) clients. An Indian telephone number and postal address give a stronger sense of familiarity than a Dutch contact. The office is in the south of New Delhi in the Lado Sarai neighbourhood. The address is:
Rangsutra Crafts India
F – 321 Second Floor
Opp. Mother Dairy
Old MB Road
New Delhi 110 030, INDIA

Flection brightens up the Women on Wings office

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 15:22:22 +0200

Flection, a leading company in the re-use of information technology, has further professionalized the Women on Wings office by providing hardware. The arrival of a colour printer means that presentations for companies - and other print work - can be done much more professionally ‘in house.’ Flection is a socially active organisation. As well as providing hardware to Women on Wings, Flection has a partnership with Close the Gap.

Uitnodiging Women on Wings verjaardagsfeest!

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:39:35 +0200

In september 2009 bestaat Women on Wings twee jaar! Reden voor een feestje waarvoor we je graag uitnodigen op maandag 28 september a.s. van 18.00 tot 22.00 uur in de Grote Suite van De Roskam te Houten.
Women on Wings hielp in twee jaar tijd ruim 950 vrouwen aan het werk. We vertellen je graag hoe we dat hebben gedaan en met wie. En waar jij Women on Wings het komend jaar bij kunt steunen. De Indiase onderneemster Sumita Ghose vertelt over haar samenwerking als klant van Women on Wings. Paul van 't Veld vertelt over zijn bevindingen als communicatie expert van Women on Wings op een klus in India. En dan hebben we ook nog 'Breaking News'! En natuurlijk is er tijd om nader kennis te maken met andere genodigden en met Women on Wings. Dit alles onder het genot van een (Indiaas) hapje en drankje.

Programma:
Inloop vanaf 18.00 uur
18.30 - 19.45 uur Aperitief en Indiaas buffet
19.45 - 20.00 uur Women on Wings; nu en straks
20.00 - 20.25 uur spreekster Sumita Ghose
20.25 - 20.50 uur spreker Paul van 't Veld
20.50 - 21.00 uur Women on Wings Breaking News!
Vanaf 21.00 borrelen tot 22.00 uur

Waar:
De Grote Suite van Restaurant & Zalen De Roskam, Plein 25, 3991 DL Houten

Aanmelden:
Wij vragen een bijdrage van € 25,- per persoon voor deze avond, rekening 1364.89.931 t.n.v. stichting Women on Wings. Meld je aan via ineke@womenonwings.nl en geef aan met hoeveel personen je komt. Je ontvangt dan snel een bevestiging met een routebeschrijving.

Women on Wings exists two years in September and we will celebrate this event with our relations. Therefore we are really happy to invite you to our second anniversary on Monday, September 28th, from 6 till 10 PM, in de Grote Suite of Restaurant De Roskam in Houten, The Netherlands.

Digital questionnaire for prospective clients now available online!

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 19:05:56 +0200

In March, Women on Wings initiated a fundraiser within the context of International Women's Day. Women on Wings used the proceeds of the fundraiser to develop a digital questionnaire for prospective clients in India. Through this questionnaire these organizations will be able to test their business health by answering thirteen questions. After the test has been completed, advice will be given on the extent to which the organization can make use of the business support offered by Women on Wings.

The test has been available online on our website since the last week of June and has already been put to good use. The test facilitates initial contacts with prospective clients in India, as they are now able to assess the viability of their business first before the test results are sent to Women on Wings by e-mail. Until now, the initial ‘testing’ was carried out by sending e-mail messages back and forth. The test is a valuable supplement in our pursuit of continuous improvement.

Knowledge can be exchanged in many ways

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:43:26 +0200

The PA Consulting Group has a wonderful CSR programme: 'Giving back and volunteering'. This entails that all consultants are allowed to donate three days a year to the charity of their choice. The point of departure for this programme is sharing the available knowledge and expertise of the PA Consulting Group. This ties in perfectly with Women on Wings, whose core activity is the ready availability of knowledge and expertise. Recently, a report was presented enthusiastically by Harmen van Os, Nienke Latta and Navin Sewberath Misser of PA Consulting Group, in which they mapped out the European home furniture market. The request for this report came from RangSutra, an organization that wanted to have explored the long-term export possibilities to Europe. This report is therefore invaluable. The decision to go into the export business is often taken lightly. However, you will need a good deal of information if you want this venture to be a success. You will need a thorough knowledge of the market, on the one hand, and standardized formats of products, such as towels, and washing instructions, on the other.

Here are a few highlights from the report: The home furniture market has shown a slight shrinkage of 1.2% since 2003, but in France and Spain a certain growth has been signalled. This applies to Eastern Europe as well. There is still a growing market for bathroom and kitchen textiles. Design is a crucial element and the colours must also match those of kitchens or bathrooms. Towels and drying cloths in standard plain colours no longer meet the requirements of European customers. In addition, a growing interest in organic cotton has been noted. European consumers are clearly becoming more and more ecologically aware. We are also more frequently faced with allergic reactions to textiles. This strongly influences our choice of materials.
In addition to these developments, an Indian organization needs to be extremely well-organized. There should be no problems whatsoever with respect to the quality of the products, delivery as agreed and care and handling during transport.
In short: the report is a valuable source of information. Sumita Goshe of RangSutra and Women on Wings are very pleased with the report and the dedicated efforts of the PA Consulting team.

Women on Wings is getting ready for a long, hot summer

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:40:14 +0200

Ellen and Maria are currently in Delhi, India. The purpose of their visit is acquisition and many meetings have been planned with existing clients, including an organization with whom Women on Wings will be organizing workshops in November, and many new organizations. In connection with the extremely hot weather in India (it is now 45 °C in Delhi!), a next trip had originally been planned to take place in September. However, so many new organizations in India have registered since then that waiting until September would not be opportune.

While Ellen and Maria literally feel the heat in India, Ineke is also starting to feel the heat under her feet in the Netherlands as her greatest challenge revolves around the organization of our second birthday on 28 September. We at Women on Wings, from Delhi in India and from Houten in the Netherlands, are nevertheless managing to keep our heads cool and wish you a very pleasant summer!

The WoW Challenge: let's move forward

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:42:00 +0200

Women on Wings has the ambition and potential to grow considerably. One of our challenges is to expand our network and get more people involved. You can help us move forward! The only thing you need to do is supply us with the names and e-mail addresses of three friends whom you think would also be interested in the activities of Women on Wings. Of course you may also provide us with more names. At this rate, 2 + 2 will not equal 4, but quickly reach 6 or even more! We will make sure that your friends also receive our newsletter in future. Take part in the WoW Challenge and send the names and e-mail addresses of your friends to our Office Manager Ineke Bezembinder. Do good, feel good!

Ownership for women groups in Tamil Nadu

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:27:15 +0200

In April, Ina Dijstelbloem, Marketing Communication Manager at the TU Delft, visited two villages in the Tamil Nadu province: Tirunavelli and Pattamadai. Here, she worked with women groups who specialize in weaving very fine river grass mats. Together with these women and their coordinator she worked on issues such as the organization of the groups, knowing the customer, branding, trends and how to market and sell the mats.

Of old, women in this region in the Tamil Nadu province, have specialized in weaving the finest quality river grass mats for decorating homes. Nowadays over 200 women specialize in weaving mats in all kinds of colours and designs on handlooms in their homes. The mats are sold through Industree in Bangalore to European and Japanese companies and are used to make other products for the Indian market. When export dropped, Industree asked Women on Wings to help these women become less and less dependent upon Industree, create their own brand and sell directly to customers and wholesalers in the growing Indian market. The aim is to create a continuous demand for mats and to increase the number of weavers in this rural area of India.

This week was very instructive for the women of Pattamadai and Tirunavelli. Not only did it give more confidence to these highly skilled women, who are mostly not aware of their gift, but it also helped them think in a constructive way about the customer, how to reach these customers and how to organize their group and marketing activities. Of old, they are used to working at home alone and never leave their village. Information about the Indian market is not available and it is very new to them to visit fairs in other cities. After the visit Ina worked out trends in the Indian market, developed a branding strategy for the mats and provided some ideas for new products to be produced. The next activity is to work out this strategy and put it into practice. In July, the Managing Director of Industree will come to France. The next steps in the process will be taken then. For more information please contact Ina Dijstelbloem.

Women on Wings celebrates its 2nd birthday on 28 September 2009

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:09:23 +0200

In September, Women on Wings will have existed two years. Naturally, we will celebrate this with our acquaintances, just like last year, and we will be doing so in the evening of Monday 28 September. You will receive more information about our birthday party in the run-up to 28 September, but please make a note of it in your diary.

Indian party banner is good for all

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 19:01:28 +0200

Brighten up your birthday or garden party with an Indian party banner made by Rangsutra, one of the organisations with which Women on Wings works together, and do something that benefits everyone. The banner, which is no less than 9 metres long, is produced from brightly coloured fabric and decorated with tassels and mirrors. By purchasing a banner from goodforall, you will be supporting the women in Rajasthan who produce these banners using old handicraft techniques. In addition to a fair selling price for the banners, the proceeds will also be used to set up a fund from which the women can borrow money at normal rates in times of a sudden need for extra money (sick children, a wedding etc).

Women on Wings concludes partnership with ISA Vertaal

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:55:14 +0200

After reading the article in Sprout which featured 8 Good Companies including Women on Wings, Isa Quodbach was determined to do something for Women on Wings. Isa is the owner-manager of 'ISA Vertaal – Your translation agency in the Euregion' . Her contact with them resulted in a new partnership for Women on Wings with this highly committed female entrepreneur. 'I fully support the initiatives and working methods of Women on Wings and can now make a contribution in my own way', says Isa.

Women on Wings wins week prize at ASN Bank World Prize 2009

Tue, 26 May 2009 23:45:34 +0200

We hadden vorige week de meeste stemmen bij de ASN Bank 'Voor de Wereld van Morgen' actie, en hebben de weekprijs gewonnen! Women on Wings heeft hiermee 100 euro verdiend. We willen iedereen die gestemd heeft hartelijk bedanken! En heb je nog niet gestemd, dan kun je uiteraard voor de volgende weekprijs stemmen.

We have won last week's prize in the ASN Bank campaign 'Voor de Wereld van Morgen' ('For Tomorrow's World'). We had the most votes in that week and Women on Wings has earned 100 euro's. We would like to thank all our voters! And if you have not yet voted, you can still vote for next week's prize. We apologize that the ASN Bank website is only available in Dutch, but we are working on an English voting instruction. If you wish to receive this, please send an email to ineke@womenonwings.nl.

VOTE for Women on Wings at ASN Bank World Prize 2009!

Sun, 17 May 2009 21:19:53 +0200

Women on Wings is taking part in the ASN Bank campaign 'Voor de Wereld van Morgen' ('For Tomorrow’s World'). ASN Bank is inviting participants to work at a sustainable world, 'tomorrow's world'. The campaign has already taken off and will continue till 31st October 2009. The participants need to find as many voters as possible. A 100 Euro prize is awarded every week to the participant who has acquired most of the votes in that week, and at the end of October a top 5 will be announced. It will consist of those participants who have acquired the greatest number of votes during the entire period of the campaign. From these, a professional jury will select a winner, who will receive 20.000 Euro’s. Help us win and vote today for our own campaign. It will only cost you a moment of your time and could result in a fantastic amount of money for our projects in India. Join us and vote for us!

Marketing experts in Fulia

Sun, 17 May 2009 20:54:53 +0200

Beginning of April, Frits Lintmeijer and Marischka Leenaers, who are both independent consultants, have worked together with a cooperation of weavers, in Fulia, 100 km north of Calcutta. Joining the management team, they collaborated on issues like trends in Europe and India, marketing research, branding, and the (im)possibility of running a web shop. At the end of the week they proposed a new name, 'Fulia Cooperative', and presented a marketing positioning as well as a briefing for branding. At the same time the team gained more insight into European trends.
Of old, the weavers living in Fulia have specialized in the so-called 'Tangail-sari’s'. Some 700 very experienced weaver families constitute the Fulia Tangail Shari Bayan Silpa Samabay Samity Ltd. Next to sari's, they produce shawls on their looms at home, which are aimed at the European market, through traders in Calcutta. The question this cooperation put to Women on Wings was the following. 'What can we do in the field of communication and marketing to be able to do business with Europe directly?' It is the aim of the cooperation to increase the number of weavers to 1000, in three years' time, and to gradually improve the income of the member weavers. This week of collaboration was instructive, not only for the Indian members of the team, and Frits and Marischka have learned a lot about the production of shawls, the Indian market, working together in a cooperation, and international trade. One of the staff members will come to Amsterdam in September and the next steps in this process will then be taken.
For more information, apply to mailto: frits@fritslintmeijer.nl or marischka@leenaersverloop.nl.

Rangsutra at 'Soulful Leadership', organized by De Baak on 18th June 2009

Sun, 17 May 2009 20:47:51 +0200

Sumita Ghose, the owner of Rangsutra Crafts in India, and one of Women on Wings' customers, will speak at 'Soulful Leadership', about leadership, the challenges of our century, bridging changes, and continuity.
'Soulful Leadership', a Special Event in Amsterdam organized by the training institute De Baak, offers inspiration to business leaders, enabling them to remain focused on their vision. The event will bring an international group of speakers and participants together, in order to create a spotlight on 'Soulful Leadership'. For more information, or if you want to attend, visit De Baak website.

Bob Hiensch, the Dutch ambassador in India, meets Women on Wings

Sun, 17 May 2009 20:38:58 +0200

On May 12th business acquaintances of Women on Wings met Bob Hiensch, the Dutch ambassador in New Delhi, India. André Veneman, director Sustainability of AkzoNobel, hosted the event. Bob Hiensch informed those present of the facts & figures of the Indian economy and explained the role of the Dutch embassy with regard to Dutch entrepreneurs in India. After that, there was an opportunity to put questions to the ambassador. 'It was a very nice evening with an illuminating talk by the ambassador about doing business in India,' said Ronald van het Hof, Director Operations of The Cookie Company. 'The ambassador described the exact situation we are in at the moment, with regard to a new Indian manufacturer. They started to negotiate after the contract had been signed. Now I understand that this is the Indian way of doing business and so we can now deal with this in an appropriate manner.'

Women on Wings is nominated 'Good Company 2009' by Sprout

Sun, 17 May 2009 20:26:48 +0200

Women on Wings has been declared one of the eight 'Good Companies 2009', an initiative by Sprout. The eight selected companies work in very different fields, but they have one thing in common: they want to make the world a little better. Not through endless discussions, but by putting their shoulders to the wheel. The eight Good Companies are pro-actively tackling big issues like CO2 -emission and poverty.
Sprout inspires and supports entrepreneurs while they are running and expanding their businesses. The platform consists of a monthly magazine, a website, www.sprout.nl, several weblogs and a news letter ('Sprout Alert') that is published twice a week. Furthermore, Sprout organizes (web)seminars, events and networking meetings on a regular basis.

Fabric Plus: the pearl of the North East

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:43:11 +0200

During our visit to Assam, in the first weeks of April, we worked together with Fabric Plus, a company that has committed itself to the advancement of rural craftsmanship. They offer a wide range of products, from yarns to fabric, and they are one of the few companies that manufacture all four kinds of silk: Mulberry, Tassar, Eri and Muga. Fabric Plus has a strong ambition to grow as an organization in the coming years, with more employment for women as a result. This objective lies at the basis of our partnership.

We, Ellen Tacoma and José van Aken, started the week in Assam with a field trip, in order to get a better understanding of the way the company works. First, we went to the Research & Development facilities of Fabric Plus, where specialists constantly develop new designs and new variations of silk, like silk-linen, silk-wool, and silk-cotton. After this, we paid a visit to one of the villages that works for Fabric Plus as the main raw-material (silk) provider, where women – and sometimes whole families – are involved in the entire silk manufacturing process, from worm to cocoon. It was fascinating! And we visited the construction of the new plant, to be opened this summer.

In the next few days, we worked closely with the management team of Fabric Plus. We defined the goals for 2009 and discussed how to attain them. What is needed in terms of sales, distribution and branding, from an organizational perspective? We worked out a plan. The implementation has started already, and together we will monitor the progress on a bi-weekly basis by e-mail, throughout the year of 2009. The foundation has been laid for agreeable and effective teamwork by both organizations.

National Award for Dutch Design in India

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:37:21 +0200

The Annual Report 2007/2008 of Seva Mandir, an Indian NGO located in Udaipur, won a national award called ‘The CSO partner’s Outstanding Annual Report Award 2009’. Seva Mandir obtained first prize, as a reward for the transparency of their accounts, their disclosure and their outstanding communication. A Dutch creative team, consisting of Henk Seelt and Paul van ‘t Veld, directors of N-E-U-S Agency, who work closely together with Women on Wings, helped to develop Seva Mandir’s brand and to improve the visibility of their publications. Seva Mandir’s CEO, Neelima Khetan: “Thank you for giving us the tips for enhancing our visibility and the ideas for color schemes, and for boosting our confidence in general. This award is definitely a result of your guidance and support. Thank you so much for being with us and for your backing. This has truly been very encouraging for all of us here.” The Award panel mentioned that the cover of the Report – designed by Henk Seelt – was also a factor in bestowing the award.

Women on Wings to speak at 'Mondayatvakzuid' meeting

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:35:06 +0200

Mondayatvakzuid is a network of professionals with a creative spirit. It offers these professionals an opportunity to become acquainted, to explore and exchange new ideas, and to inspire each other. Mondayatvakzuid organizes a special get-together at cocktail-time in Amsterdam every month, featuring an inspired speaker and great live music. Women on Wings has been invited to take the floor on 11 May. Ellen Tacoma and Maria van der Heijden will talk about the activities, projects and ambitions of Women on Wings in India. If you would like to attend, check the time and location on www.mondayatvakzuid.nl.

Support for 'Women on Winst' is heartening

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:32:55 +0200

The campaign to attract supporters for Women on Wings, within the scope of the International Women’s Day on 8 March of this year, has yielded an amount of almost 2000 Euro. No less than 25 supporters contributed to ‘Women on Winst’ (‘Profit for Women’). We will use the money to develop a digital survey on the internet. Potential customers in India, by answering the questions in the survey, can find out whether the experts of Women on Wings can make a meaningful contribution to their companies. It is heartening to see how many wonderful gifts we had the pleasure of receiving! The prizewinners (of the shawls) have been notified.

Bemoedigende Women on Winst actie

Thu, 9 Apr 2009 15:47:12 +0200

De donateursactie in het kader van Internationale Vrouwendag op 8 maart jl. heeft bijna 2.000 euro opgeleverd. Maar liefst 25 donateurs zetten ‘Women on Winst’! Het geld gebruiken we voor het ontwikkelen van een digitale vragenlijst op internet. Potentiële klanten in India kunnen met het beantwoorden van de vragen inzicht krijgen of een bijdrage van experts van Women on Wings voor hun bedrijf interessant is. Het is bemoedigend te zien hoeveel fantastische donaties we hebben mogen ontvangen, iedereen bedankt! De winnaars van de sjaals hebben inmiddels bericht ontvangen.

Doneer voor Women on Winst 2009

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 13:49:54 +0100

Doe mee met de grote donateuractie van Women on Wings in het kader van Internationale Vrouwendag op 8 maart en zet “Women op Winst”. Met de opbrengsten van deze actie helpen we namelijk nog meer Indiase vrouwen aan werk. De winst daarvan is groot. Want een vrouw met een inkomen, doorbreekt de armoedespiraal en creëert kansen voor een betere toekomst. Ze kan haar gezin onderhouden, en haar kinderen naar school sturen. Zo is er winst voor iedereen. Zelfs voor jou. Want de eerste 5 donateurs én de 5 donateurs die het hoogste bedrag doneren, ontvangen een prachtige handgemaakte sjaal in een luxueuze zijde/katoen mix. Uniek in Nederland! De sjaals zijn gemaakt door vrouwen in West Bengalen, India. Doe mee en stort vandaag nog je bijdrage op rekening 13.64.89.931 ten name van Women on Wings o.v.v.” Women on Winst”. Dat kan ook via iDEAL. De actie loopt tot 31 maart a.s.. Namens alle Women: bedankt voor je bijdrage!

Doneer en win...

Women on Wings interviewed by P+ Magazine

Sun, 8 Mar 2009 13:42:16 +0100

In the latest issue of P+ Magazine there is an interview with Women on Wings. The periodical came out on March 6, 2009 and has ‘change’ as its theme. Ellen and Maria talk about the change they have experienced in their work and in their daily lives, since they established Women on Wings. And, of course, about the changes they witness in the organizations in India that Women on Wings is working with. P+ is doing research of Best Practices in the field of worldwide social entrepreneurship and creates access to the people who are responsible. P+ is aimed at people who are just starting durable enterprises as well as more advanced entrepreneurs. They are helped with all kinds of practical advice. Please refer to peopleplanetprofit for information and subscriptions.

You can download the article using the download button.

Weavers in West Bengal and Assam

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:33:34 +0100

At the end of January, we visited a number of organizations in West Bengal and Assam. These are organizations that are in the business of weaving. The amount of work involved in weaving is awe-inspiring. It all starts with spinning the silk, the cotton or the wool. The yarns are then colored and subsequently prepared for the loom. The speed with which women are able to weave in patterns is spectacular. It involves the yarns being lifted according to a pre-set pattern. We will work together with a some of these organizations in order to enable a greater number of women to earn (more) money in the weaving industry. In the course of this year, you will read more about the developments within these organizations.

The ANBI status granted to Women on Wings

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:31:20 +0100

Retroactive as of January 1st 2008, the Dutch tax department has granted the so-called ANBI status to Women on Wings. The Dutch abbreviation ANBI refers to institutions serving the Common Good. These are religious, humanistic, charitable, cultural and scientific institutions. In order to be designated as an ANBI-institution the aim and the daily activities of the institution must be serving the Common Good.

The Dutch government implements a fiscal policy that encourages donating money towards good causes. Apart from granting tax advantages to Women on Wings, the ANBI status also favors the supporters of our organization who are taxed in The Netherlands. If you have made a donation to Women on Wings in 2008, you may deduct the amount from your taxable income in 2008 (obviously according to the usual practice). The ANBI status has been conferred for an unlimited period of time, so in future, too, you can benefit from its advantages when filing your tax return.

Women on Wings interviewed by P+ Magazine

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:25:39 +0100

In the next issue of P+ Magazine there will be an interview with Women on Wings. The periodical will come out on March 6, 2009 and will have ‘change’ as its theme. Ellen and Maria will talk about the change they have experienced in their work and in their daily lives, since they established Women on Wings. And, of course, about the changes they witness in the organizations in India that Women on Wings is working with. P+ is doing research of Best Practices in the field of worldwide social entrepreneurship and creates access to the people who are responsible. P+ is aimed at people who are just starting durable enterprises as well as more advanced entrepreneurs. They are helped with all kinds of practical advice. Please refer to peopleplanetprofit for information and subscriptions.

Slumdog Millionaire in Dutch cinemas

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:21:19 +0100

Slumdog Millionaire premiered in Dutch cinemas on February 12th. The film is about the orphan Jamal who is working as a “chai wallah” in a Mumbai call center. He manages to make it to the Indian version of “Who wants to be a millionaire”, and – to the utter amazement of the condescending quiz master – succeeds in giving the right answers to all the questions. In the film, the story of Jamal’s life is told, based on the answers to the quiz, the lessons of life he learned growing up in the slums of Mumbai. We saw the film (that won four Golden Globes and eight Oscars) in Kolkata, beginning of February, and urge you to go and see it: it is an amazing story from India.

'Pleasing the customer' is Dastkar Ranthambore's motto

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:28:48 +0100

Women on Wings’ chairman Willem Lageweg paid a visit to Dastkar Ranthambore in Rajasthan, India, during his holiday last December. There is a program here of 300 women practicing the craft of textile printing. Shawls, dresses, blouses and pillows are offered to the thousands of tourists who are attracted by the tiger reserve in Ranthambore.
Willem was very impressed by the approach of Ujwala Johda, the business manager. For instance, Ujwala takes the tourists on a visit to the women’s workplace. As a result, the visitors are getting acquainted with the handicraft and at the same time the women come into direct contact with their customers. The effect is that she increases customer orientation within the organization. The women become aware of what is being sold and what is not. The organization is customer-friendly, which it proves by adjusting materials upon request, and fitting clothing to measure on the same day.
Willem: “Because of the direct contacts, people in the organization can learn and adjust to the customers’ wishes on a daily basis. I really experienced an atmosphere of willingness to please the customer”.
Dastkar Ranthambore forms part of the Dastkar organization, which is a client of Women on Wings. Dastkar aims to preserve and strengthen traditions of textile art. The profit Dastkar Ranthambore makes is used to establish new projects and programs in other places.

Happy World to you!

Wed, 14 Jan 2009 12:24:27 +0100

Looking out of the window, we have been seeing ‘a happy world’ in The Netherlands for the past few weeks: blue, cloudless skies and nature frozen over, sparkling with ice. Everything so beautiful and peaceful you could almost forget that there is a different, less beautiful aspect to the world. The forces of nature, war, discrimination, oppression, poverty and greed seem temporarily out of sight.
Women on Wings is convinced that we can make the world a fairer place if all of us remain in a positive mood. Every benevolent thought sent into the world will have its impact on the whole and every contribution has its own value, however small it may be, and no matter how and where it is made.
You, too, are invited by Women on Wings to contribute positively to a fair and peaceful world in 2009. We will do our best again. We can make a difference! Happy World to you!

Women on Wings article in the Dutch daily newspaper Het Financieele Dagblad

Sat, 27 Dec 2008 10:54:29 +0100

Last year, on 27 December, the Dutch financial daily Het Financieele Dagblad published an article on the results of one year of Women on Wings: 500 extra jobs created and cooperation established with seven Indian organizations. In the article, journalist Marleen Janssen Groesbeek describes Women on Wings’ ambition to create jobs for one million women in the next ten years. The underlying thought is that women can learn from each other all over the world. By sharing knowledge and experience, organizations in India get an opportunity to grow faster, with the effect of creating more jobs for women.
Maria van der Heijden en Ellen Tacoma help women in India to increase the performance of their businesses. “But in the end it is up to the women themselves. Our method is: demonstrate, work together, do it yourself.” Advice is given in matters of management, marketing and communication. “Women make beautiful products that are very labor-intensive. When they realize they can earn the same amount of money making a shawl or a bag with one hundred beads instead of two hundred beads, they make an extra profit, for they can produce more in the same amount of time.

Click the download button for the complete interview.

Knowledge Fair Ode to Earth in Delhi

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:19:09 +0100

November 12/13 2008, Women on Wings organized marketing workshops during the Micro Finance Summit India in New Delhi. The purpose was to share knowledge and experience with Indian organizations. The workshops were led by Dutch professionals with extensive experience on the workshop topics. One of the participants, a producer of bags and other products, has its products made by people with a mental disability. The company wants, next to make nice products, to show that people with a disability can have a good future in India. Another participant was a keen consultant from Assam, who advises various women’s associations.

The five workshop topics were Segmentaion, Visual Merchandising, Branding, Your Customer’s Personality and Effective Communication. They consisted mostly of practical exercises such as “Make a mood board from your customer” and “How to position a brand for a milk product”. The practical approach of the workshops led to constructive discussions and made marketing theoratics easier to put into the daily businesses of all participants.

Kusum Tiwari from Mura Collective was one of the participants: “I attended all the 5 workshops from Women on Wings during the Knowledge Fair. I not only enjoyed the workshops immensely, but also benefitted hugely from each one of them. In today's crowded and extremely competitive marketplace, the workshops helped us define our place sharply, making our business more effective and viable."

Transferring Sadhna branding to shops

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:18:22 +0100

Last November Carolijn Michels, together with Ellen Tacoma, advised the women’s cooperative Sadhna to redecorate their shops. What do customers want to experience, feel, see, smell and taste in a shop? And how do you translate the customer’s wishes into practice for the staff and with regard to the fitting up of the shop and its display windows? In Udaipur, a town frequently visited by tourists, a shop was transformed into a completely new experience in the course of three days. This happened after knowledge was shared during a workshop, and brainstorming sessions about applying this knowledge. The involvement and the effort of all employees, and the available information on customers and sales, proved to be the key to successfully implementing the Sadhna experience. The Sadhna team will continue working in this way, developing new forms and directions on the basis of a share list that was drawn up collectively.

Carolijn: “Visiting the field of action and talking to the artisans on the spot, makes it perfectly clear what the added value of companies like Sadhna consists of. It’s wonderful to see how the transfer and the combined application of knowledge speedily contributes to long lasting change, resulting in more employment for women in rural areas. It is inspiring and at the same time puts things in perspective, which is a nice experience to bring home to the Netherlands.”

Sonita from the Sadhna team: “The workshop on Sadhna shops proved truly beneficial, for we are receiving very good responses from our customers. They notice the changes and are very satisfied with the new look. The customers are happy, as there are no obstacles in the routing and they can move around freely. We have also labeled all products with respect to sizes, so that customers can easily locate the products they want. The most important change is that products are displayed design wise, on hangers and in racks. Especially the sarees are noticeable. The men's section is fabulous!”

Entrepreneurship in the desert

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:17:28 +0100

Last November, Sandra Horlings, a member of the board of trustees of Women on Wings, worked with one of the programs of Udyogini, UJAS Pugal, together with Maria van der Heijden.

A personal account by Sandra: “There we are, 30 women in a little hut. We don’t speak each other’s languages, but our looks and our gestures are clear enough. We support each other’s work and we compliment each other. Without words and with a lot of giggling. I am visiting the women of UJAS Pugal, an isolated area with families who call themselves refugees, even after 37 years. They are stranded in the desert after the territory was split up between India and Pakistan, between Hindus and Muslims. In the past few years, these women have been taught by Udyogini to make appliqué embroidery, a very labor-intensive way of embellishing cotton. Bed covers, pillow cases and clothes are made this way.

We listen to them and look at designs, at applications, at the diversity. And at the connection between all this, and the relevance for principals, buyers, customers. Slowly, the women’s closed countenances open up and change into laughing faces. From their accounts we distill a corporate story with three underlying beautiful values: connected, peaceful and enlightened.

The next step is to translate the power contained in these people and their organization into market practice. The social objectives of the organization are complex. What is their first priority: producing or getting access to the market? We choose the latter. And we start working on a business plan, a customer information system and an approach aimed at selling. If we can prove there is a market for those beautiful products from the desert, an increase in employment must be feasible, too.”

Christmas Market of the Rabobank IJsseldelta

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:16:04 +0100

On Tuesday, 9 December, Women on Wings presented itself by invitation of the Rabobank IJsseldelta to all the employees of the IJsseldelta area, at the annual Christmas Market in Zwolle in The Netherlands. On this evening the employees were invited to put together their own Christmas hampers. The 250 employees were able to buy articles with vouchers, from companies present at the market.
At this Christmas Market the Rabobank showed its social commitment. Two charitable organizations were invited to put up a stand and draw attention to their activities. Share4More was present, a support fund set up and manned by employees of the Rabobank Group, as well as Women on Wings.

Ineke of Women on Wings: “It was a fantastic evening. We got the opportunity to explain who we are and what we do, and there was a possibility to get more information at our stand later, for everybody interested. We were happy to receive 486 euro’s in donations that evening. We had a little present for the employees who offered a donation: a recipe for an Indian dish. Something to accompany the famous Dutch donut balls at Christmas!”

Article The McKinsey Quarterly "entrepreneurship in India's villages"

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 14:27:59 +0100

The world’s great cities and the professionals who live in them are linked more tightly to one another than they are with their own rural hinterlands. Yet true prosperity starts in the countryside.
It’s not surprising that well-travelled professionals living in global cities, such as New Delhi, New York, Paris, Rio, and Shanghai, have more in common with one another, in lifestyle and values, than they do with rural citizens in their respective nations. In general, villagers, particularly in the emerging world, have benefitted less from globalization than urbanites have. Seventy percent of India’s citizens, for instance, live in rural isolation, largely disconnected from the benefits of their nation’s fast-paced economic growth.
These are globalization’s forgotten frontiers, where more must be done to connect urban markets with rural ones in order to speed their development. How this happens will vary from nation to nation. In China, for instance, the government actively spurred the village economy, largely through agricultural-reform measures implemented during the 1980s. By contrast, India’s government has only a limited ability to bring about real change in the country’s villages. Private entrepreneurs might well be more effective. Read more...

Ode to Earth Knowledge Fair, November 11-13, 2008, New Delhi

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:15:16 +0200

How to get access to markets? Ode to Earth, the Marketing Knowledge Fair in New Delhi is a creative and inspiring experience. It will present new and exciting concepts for sharing knowledge, learning and networking. To be interactive is the key concept here.

Women on Wings will provide visitors with the knowledge how to help producer groups and organizations improve their marketing, and help them understanding their markets.

Visitors can participate in our interactive workshops on November 12 and 13. They can participate in five one-hour workshops per day. Topics of the workshops are: Segmentation, Visual Merchandising, Branding, Your Customer's Personality and Effective Communication.

The location and time schedule of the workshops is for both days the same:
Hotel The Ashok, New Delhi
Suite 294 – Emerald
10 AM Segmentation by Patrick van Son
11 AM Visual Merchandising by Marischka Leenaers
12 AM Branding by Sandra Horlings
2 PM Your Customer’s Personality by Ellen Tacoma
3 PM Effective Communication by Maria van der Heijden

Merchandising Sadhna

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:13:36 +0200

In November, Women on Wings will start to implement the Sadhna experience in shops in Udaipur. We will look for answers to the following questions: How do you stand out in the overall appearance of the street and make consumers choose your shop? How do you show what you are selling in your shop? Where can a customer find different items in the shop? What is the routing like in the shop? How do you communicate with the customer during his or her visit? How do you best show combinations of products?

‘Sadhna’ is an organization run by women and located in Udaipur in the North-West of India. Its business consists of products made of environmentally friendly cotton, and of silk that is colored with natural paints. The product range includes garments such as kurtas, tops, stoles, sarees, dupattas, and skirts, next to soft home furnishings and accessories like bags and pouches. All products are made from hand woven and hand printed fabrics, mostly cotton and silk.

In 2006 an Indian/Dutch team introduced ‘the ideal customer’. Creating the concept of a ‘real’ customer helped to develop and produce the appropriate products in the right colors, achieving an outstanding quality. In the third week of November the next step will be taken: how to transfer the Sadhna experience to the two specialized shops in Udaipur.

A happy first anniversary

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:12:44 +0200

Women on Wings celebrated its first anniversary with 100 friends in the attractive ‘Ridderhofstad’ (castle) of Stay Okay near Utrecht, on 22 September of this year. It was a gathering to meet friends and talk during the cocktail hour and at the dinner table. However, during this evening we also organized an auction. The main message was: for every 500 Euros an Indian woman can support herself for life. We collected no less than 15.100 Euros, selling Indian products, paintings, sculptures, trainings, holiday homes and boat trips!

Women on Wings was set up in September 2007 with the aim to create jobs for women. In the first year the result was 500 new jobs for women who are now economically independent and can work on a better future for their children. On the occasion of the first anniversary Women on Wings invited all its relations to introduce a lot for the auction. No less than 46 lots were introduced and bought by those present. At the end of the evening the proceeds were symbolically sent to India by means of a wind light.

Ineke Bezembinder, Office Manager of Women on Wings

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:11:43 +0200

On October 6 Ineke Bezembinder started work as office manager of Women on Wings. Ineke is 48 years old, lives in Houten and is an experienced secretary, management assistant and communications coordinator. She worked for TNT Express till September 1, dealing with the partnership of TNT and the World Food Programme, among other things.

She explains her motivation to work for Women on Wings: ‘At my sister- and brother-in-law ’s I saw a booklet lying on the table, it was the auction catalogue of the first anniversary of Women on Wings. After I visited their website it was clear to me: I would love to work for them, as Women on Wings is doing exactly what I believe in. Making women self-supporting. And all this from a very interesting discipline and in a wonderful country. The first meeting with Ellen and Maria was warm and friendly, and after half an hour the matter was settled. That same afternoon I was already organizing their trip to India in November. It can’t be a coincidence that at the very moment my eye was caught by the auction booklet, they were in real need of support. I hope I can contribute for a long time in my own small way to making women in India self-supporting.’

Contributions from Cordaid, Ebius and Eureko Achmea Foundation

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:09:35 +0200

Financial contributions from companies and organizations enable Women on Wings to introduce knowledge and experience to companies and organizations in India. Recently, Cordaid, Ebius and the Eureko Achmea Foundation have promised contributions. Ebius (www.ebius.nl) with its contribution will sponsor a workshop for members of RangSutra; Cordaid (www.cordaid.nl) has given a contribution for the marketing of workshops in New Delhi this November; and the Eureko Achmea Foundation (www.eurekoachmeafoundation.nl) supports a three year project for supervising the marketing of Udyogini products.

Resultaat: 500 nieuwe banen

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:12:23 +0200

Het resultaat van één jaar Women on Wings: 500 extra banen voor vrouwen in India. En onze ambities reiken verder: in de komende tien jaar gaan we voor maar liefst 1 miljoen extra banen voor deze vrouwen! Een haalbaar streven waar wél veel (financiële) steun voor nodig is. Women on Wings zoekt samenwerking met bedrijven en particulieren die projecten financieel willen ondersteunen.

Lees meer over onze activiteiten in India op onze website onder ‘customers’.

Uitnodiging 1e verjaardag op 22 september

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:52:30 +0200

Women on Wings bestaat 1 jaar en dat vieren wij graag met onze relaties! Daarom nodigen we je van harte uit voor ons eerste verjaardagsfeest op maandag 22 september a.s., van 18.30-22 uur, op Ridderhofstad Rhijnauwen te Bunnik. Een avond met een Indiaas buffet, een veiling en natuurlijk volop de gelegenheid om nader kennis te maken met andere genodigden en met Women on Wings.

Het programma
Vanaf 18.30 uur ben je van harte welkom. We starten om 19 uur met het buffet. Om 19.45 uur zullen wij, Ellen en Maria, een toelichting geven op onze activiteiten van het eerste jaar en onze plannen voor de toekomst. Om 20 uur start een veiling. Vanaf 21 uur is er gelegenheid om gezellig bij te praten met andere relaties van Women on Wings.

Veiling
Onder begeleiding van veilingmeester Willem Berdenis van Berlekom worden deze avond o.a. prachtig handgemaakte producten geveild van 'onze' vrouwen uit India. Wil je zelf iets inbrengen in de veiling? Dat kan! Denk bijvoorbeeld aan kaarten voor een concert, een greenfee bij een golfvereniging of een fietsclinic. Bedenk zelf iets leuks en mail je aanbod naar maria@womenonwings.nl voor 5 september a.s.

Aanmelding en bevestiging
Wij vragen een bijdrage van € 25 voor deze avond, rekening 1364.89.931 t.n.v. Stichting Women on Wings. Als je je per mail aanmeldt via maria@womenonwings.nl ontvang je in de 3e week van september een bevestiging met meer informatie over het programma en het veilingaanbod.

Routebeschrijving
Neem op de A12 van Utrecht naar Arnhem afslag Bunnik. Volg de provinciale weg door Bunnik richting Utrecht. Net voorbij Bunnik neem je afslag Rhijnauwen, 400 meter verder, einde weg links parkeren (nog voor de poort). Voor de poort ligt het landhuis, ook gebruikt als Stay Okay, aan de rechterzijde. Openbaar vervoer: Vanaf station Bunnik is het 3 kilometer lopen naar Stayokay Utrecht - Bunnik. Je kunt ook vanaf station Utrecht bus 40 of 41 nemen richting Wijk bij Duurstede en uitstappen bij halte Rhijnauwen. Het landgoed ligt 400 meter verderop.

Veilingkavels: welk aanbod heb jij?

Sun, 20 Jul 2008 17:51:09 +0200

Op 22 september organiseren we een veiling met o.a. prachtig handgemaakte producten van 'onze' vrouwen uit India. Wil je zelf iets inbrengen in de veiling? Dat kan! Denk bijvoorbeeld aan kaarten voor een concert, een greenfee bij een golfvereniging of een fietsclinic. Bedenk zelf iets leuks en wij veilen je aanbod op 22 september voor het goede doel. Stuur een mail naar maria@womenonwings.nl met je aanbod.

Access to Market Network kicks off with tour in June 2008

Wed, 7 May 2008 8:05:58 +0200

This year will see the launch of a network that aims to bring together NGOs and producer groups in India and to assist them in accessing markets: The Access to Market Network. To build and develop the new network, Women on Wings is collaborating with ACCESS on a venture that combines experience of grass-roots work with business knowledge in the marketing field.

The Access to Market network will kick off with a 10-day tour of India in June. A series of workshops will be held to identify and mentor NGOs and producer groups, advising them on how to produce high-end quality products. During the tour, producer groups will be selected for participation in the Ode to Earth marketing event in New Delhi in November. Ode to Earth is a new initiative aiming to provide a marketing platform for handcrafted products. The marketing event will be combined with the annual Microfinance India Conference, November 11-13, 2008.

Presentation for Rabobank on June 11, 2008

Tue, 6 May 2008 21:19:06 +0200

On June 11, Women on Wings will share their knowledge of India with members of Rabobank in a one-hour, photo-based presentation titled ‘India, Country with Two Faces’. In the atmospheric former monastery of Bovendonck in Hoeven, Ellen and Maria will talk about their personal experiences with rural India. Although the country has a booming IT industry and is home to for example the Tata Group of Companies, 700 million people live on less than two dollars a day. This is why it is Women on Wings’ mission to create jobs for women. By increasing the income levels of women, their children will be able to gain access to education.

Workshop in Bikaner with RangSutra

Tue, 6 May 2008 21:18:19 +0200

On April 9 and 10, Women on Wings conducted a workshop to anchor the RangSutra brand in the minds and hearts of the production and quality team in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The moodboard created by the team gave a good understanding of the brand personality, of who the customer is, and of the relevance of this knowledge for their day-to-day work. In addition to the branding session, we did a brainstorm on increasing production quantity and quality, two critical aspects of Rangsutra’s growth in 2008. The brainstorming session provided the team with a clear picture of opportunities and of the need for a change in approach. Sumita Ghose, director of Rangsutra: "Our collaboration with Women on Wings is empowering ..... helping us to dream of future possibilites as well as focus on finding practical solutions to obstacles we face in the execution of our work!"

We welcome our new client Udyogini

Tue, 6 May 2008 21:11:34 +0200

Close to the border of Pakistan, a team from Udyogini is working with 900 marginalised women, whose current income is between 150 and 600 Rs (3 to 12 euros) per month. Women on Wings is pleased to announce that it will be working with Udyogini to increase the women’s monthly incomes to an acceptable level and to create more jobs for women in this area. First step is the coaching of the current team of 4 young local staff being incubated as entrepreneurs to support them in becoming more market oriented. The next step is to diversify distribution and increase sales.

Dutch creative team supported Seva Mandir

Fri, 7 Mar 2008 14:47:07 +0100

What should two advertising blokes do when they want to help out in India? Obviously do what they are good at! This happened to Women on Wings when art director Henk Seelt and copywriter Paul van ’t Veld came to Udaipur (Rajasthan) to work together on one of Women on Wings customers; Seva Mandir. Objective was to take a look at Seva Mandir’s communication and improve it where possible. A skill scarce available in the surroundings of Udaipur. The nearest marketing and advertising agencies are in Delhi. And for certain Seva Mandir cannot afford them.

To get insight into the work of Seva Mandir, the team visited a number of impressive projects in the region. The days after, they dove into the assessment and improvement of their communication. Far away from The Netherlands, good coffee and materials they literally started to cut and paste. They put annual reports, brochures, PowerPoint presentations next to each other to show to Seva Mandir how inconsistent their communication was in terms of content and visual appearance. Next step was to develop a new style with which Seva Mandir could work. Above all, the team looked for a guiding theme throughout the work. An idea with which all that Seva Mandir does could be mirrored. Such an idea was found. During the final presentation all the pieces where put together and Seva Mandir gratefully embraced the work. Even better: the day of the team's departure the brochure in the new style was printed in Udaipur; ready to be used in an important congress two days later. It was a job well done and the team went satisfied back to Amsterdam.

Moral of this story: if you do what you are good at, you can help out an Indian company. In the area of marketing and communication much is still possible in India. What we take for granted, is of high value in India. Paul and Henk found it very useful and fun to experience this first hand. It should be done more often! So what are you good at? For certain you can put your skills at work for Women on Wings.

ODE TO EARTH Marketing Conference in Delhi November 11-13 2008

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:20:37 +0100

Access and Women on Wings will be hosting a three day marketing event called “Ode to Earth” in India next November 2008, coinciding with the annual MicroFinance India Summit in Delhi. This marketing event is the first-ever to support small producer groups and NGOs in developing and orienting their products to mainstream urban markets. A technical team consisting of design and marketing professionals will be advising small producers on products, production, product orientation, and supply chain issues through a market readiness process. Access and Women on Wings will be inviting discerning upmarket buyers, and facilitate the event. It is expected that 3000 buyers will participate in the event. If the event is successful, it will be held on an annual basis.

Craftmanship in the slums of Jaipur

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 8:24:43 +0100

Humar is a handicraft enterprise that employs women of the slums in Jaipur. On February the 14th, 2008, Women on Wings visited these women to get a clear understanding of their work and circumstances. The embroidery work of the women is fabulous; with precision and skill they produce beautiful saris (women's dresses), kurtas (blouses), shawls, cushions, etcetera. In spite of their high quality work, the income of these women is dramatic. They only get 10 rupees per day (equivalent to 20 eurocents). The goal of Humar is to increase the income to 60 to 70 rupees per day (1 euro). Rangsutra, one of Women on Wings' customers, has expressed willingness to place a large order this year. This will be a first step in improving the income situation for the women.

Women on Wings covered in magazine Lof

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:27:54 +0100

The February/March edition of Lof covers an article on Women on Wings. Ellen and Maria are interviewed on the ambition of Women on Wings to create 1 million additional jobs by 2017. They explain the challenge and the approach towards creating additional jobs for women by driving strong business growth. They also elaborate on their current projects in which they successfully transfer state-of-the-art marketing knowledge for manufacturing organizations in India. Lof is a new magazine for mothers with ambition, first published in 2007.

Article Vogue India 'The luxury vagabond'

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:39:37 +0100

True Indian luxury shopping can only be discovered by dipping into the nation’s cultural and textile history, writes Fiona Caulfield. Agriculture is the biggest industry of India, followed by craft and textiles. One can learn much about India’s creative culture through textiles. India exalts beauty beyond the sensual to the spiritual; Indian artisans consider their work to be an offering to the divine. Visiting a designer’s studio is a rich opportunity to hear a story about how an item is made, why, where and by whom.

Workshop Toolkit

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:39:22 +0100

Professional marketing and communication managers explored the content of a toolkit for customers. A toolkit that will support Women on Wings in executing her work. Jacqueline Duerinck, Marijke Holwerda and Femke Zwaal shared their ideas for tests, checklists, and other tools. The toolkit will be available via internet for (potential) customers in India.

Article The Hindu 'Marketing facilities for craftsmen sought'

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:39:06 +0100

The Hindu of December 17, 2007 published an interesting article named “Marketing facilities for craftsmen sought”. In the article The Rajasthan Rural Development Minister Kalulal Gujjar paid attention for providing proper marketing facilities to craftspeople in rural areas to help them get competitive prices for their products as well as respect for their traditional skills. Though a significant demand for handmade products exists at present, marketing facilities are needed to popularize them and to reach new customers.

Workshop with National Foundation of India

Wed, 5 Dec 2007 13:38:47 +0100

NFI was set up in 1992 as a non-profit charitable trust in order to mobilize public opinion and generate resources for supporting development action. Up until recently, funding for the trust has never been an issue. However, the funding market has recently become a competitive market. NFI has in the past kept a low profile with its audience, but starting in December, 2007, WoW has worked with NFI to develop the basis of a marketing & communication strategy, complete with mission, values and key message. WoW advised NFI to focus and structure the organization of its internal and external communications. For NFI the challenge is to surprise and touch people with their results.

Micro Finance Conference

Tue, 9 Oct 2007 13:38:34 +0200

Invited by Rabo India Finance, a 100% subsidiary of Rabobank International, the Netherlands, Women on Wings visited the Microfinance India Conference, October 9-10, 2007, in New Delhi. This conference highlighted the unique success of the Indian microfinance sector in successfully marshalling the formal financial sector in providing financial services to the poor. The Conference looked also at future possibilities in terms of expanding and diversification of services and products by the formal financial sector. WoW established many contacts with the microfinance sector and NGOs from all corners of India.

Branding the South

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 13:36:25 +0200

Simon Anholt, in his book Brand New Justice, makes the argument for the creation of ‘intangible value’. More than 70% of the value of the top 500 American companies is immaterial and in large part based on ‘brand equity’, in other words, the value of a brand. The top 100 strongest brands in the world have a value of more than 1 billion euro. This is the equivalent to as much as the BNP of the 63 poorest countries in the world, where more then 50% of the world population lives. Women on Wings practices a new way of development: teaching companies in the southern hemisphere to build strong brands to create more value and as a result create more jobs.

Workshop with illeterates

Tue, 2 Oct 2007 13:38:22 +0200

For Seva Mandir in Udaipur, WoW is working on the communication strategy to improve their sources for fundraising. Late September WoW organized a value session with management the first step for the positioning and communication strategy. One of the steps taken to prepare for this session was a workshop with villagers in the area where Seva Mandir is operating. One of the questions was which values they associate with Seva Mandir. An impressive experience. In the beginning the group of women hesitated to talk and share their opinion. After a while we separated the women and men in different groups and the hesitation was gone. For the participants Seva Mandir creates awareness how one can influence his or her own life, improve their situation and what the benefits are in cooperating, and proves how empowerment improves the lives of people. WoW used this feedback to develop the core values and communication strategy for Seva Mandir to become effective in new fundraising channels. For more information: www.sevamandir.org

Start of Women on Wings

Tue, 4 Sep 2007 13:36:09 +0200

Women on Wings officially started on September 4th 2007. The company is registered at the Chamber of Commerce in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The board of Supervisors is comprised of Willem Lageweg, CEO MVO Nederland (chairman), Sandra Horlings, managing director Proximity (secretary) and Joyce Deriga, CFO Esprit Telecom (finance). On the photo you see the founders Maria van der Heijden (left) and Ellen Tacoma (right).