Step 1: Get a broader view of livelihoods. Read, talk, discuss a bit. And I figured there was loooots to be read - and I scraped the tip of the iceberg.
That being done, I was itching to go and get a look at a wider variety of livelihoods, first hand. I called up my good friends working all over the country and began my first brush with a non-urban, non-IT livelihood: Weaving in Pochampalli. Not really far away from "Urban" at 50 km from Hyderabad, just an hour, even in the bumpy red government bus... but still, not exactly your mall-infested city.
Some events and impressions that stayed with me and gave me much to reflct on:
- The weavers (at least all the ones I met) have an almost pre-prepared "script" to tell an outsider about themselves, their work and their woes. I don't for a moment doubt they have their troubles, but obviously, they've seen many many people come asking for their story. And quite predictably, they are quick to play up the "I-am-downtrodden-and-the-world-is-so-cruel" aspect of their lives. I repeat - it's not that I don't empathise with their genuine issues ... but I guess the "outsider-interest" in their lives might have gone too far.
- Pochampally weaving is an amazingly complex, skill intensive and time consuming activity. I'll need the rest of 4 blog entries just to describe it, so you can just read it elsewhere or hang in with my observation without a description. My weaver friends told me they make about Rs 200 (about 4USD) per saree... and they need 45 days to make 8 sarees. And that's 8 sarees of the same design... change the design and you've exended the production life cycle! A typical silk saree sells for around Rs 2000 to the customer (45USD) That left me thinking... what real value is being added here? "Completely hand made" ... is that a vlaue that the market is willing to pay for? And will the price for that perceived value be adequate to cover costs for the weavers?? What would automation do to this? Does it kill the "traditional", "artistic" aesthetics of the saree? Is automation impossible (as the weavers seem to be convinced). Is there another way to improve the economic incentives in this activity??
- "Who wants to weave?? I want to do computers". That's the common refrain from everybody - the 60ish year old master weaver to the kid just out of school. Computers is where the good life is. What of computers? you ask them. What does it mean to you? "Computers are well... you can do accounts", "With computers, you can get a job", "I dont know, I havent seen one, but Computers are the only way forward". Most of the younger kids are not familiar with weaving and dont intend to be. Neither do their parents want it. The old man at a shop near the bus stop asks me - in a friendly sort of way - what do I do for a living? Did I come here by car? How come I know Telugu? What do you call a banana in English? We fall to talking - and he tells me quite confidently "Teach all these kids computers! Only then is there some hope"
- Along with computers is the conviction that English is the way forward, the city is the way forward.. and interstingly for the two girls I spent all afternoon with - working and earning your own money is the way forward.
Watch this space for continued adventures with other livelihoods, in other places...
