In 2013, deadly floods devastated the lives of the village of Triyuginarayan, destroying neighboring areas and widowing hundreds of women. Without literacy or employment skills, they soon found themselves in a collective spiral towards hopeless poverty. In reaction, GIWA, alongside the Divine Shakti Foundation, have joined together with Mandakini Women Weavers of Garhwal, the Government of Uttarakhand, Panchachuli Women Weavers of Kumaon, Jagdish Stores and Organic India to bring livelihoods to the region through vocational training and a new women’s livelihoods centre.
Recently, GIWA Co-Chair/Co-Founder Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji met and spent time with the beneficiaries. Several of the women, who had lost their husbands in the floods, related how gladdened they were to have a renewed sense of purpose and meaning in their lives. Along with weaving sweaters, shawls and many other garments, they were also weaving their lives with hope and healing. Plans for a grand inauguration of the centre as well as a resilient and strong buy-back network were discussed in detail.
The Centre is located 25 kms from Kedarnath, the site which was most devastated by the Uttarakhand floods in 2013.
