How nylon wire baskets have become a showcase of skills for visually challenged women artisans in Tiruchi

Visually impaired artisans in Tiruchi weave durable, reusable baskets, promoting entrepreneurship and independence.

Muthamilselvi’s fingers fly as they knot strips of nylon wire into an archanai koodai’, a deep, round basket that is used to carry temple offerings. “I have woven small stands within the basket to make self-balancing. If we make it without a handle, it can be used to store onions or garlic. Most of these items can easily be adapted according to our requirement,” she says.

The 48-year-old visually challenged artisan is one 15 members of the basket weaving section at the Rehabilitation Centre for Blind Women (RCBW) in Tiruchi. And going by the increasing number of orders per day, the team seems to be on a winning streak.

The team has produced over 1,000 customised baskets for customers in Coimbatore, Delhi, Bengaluru this year and is expecting to sell more in the run-up to the festive seasons. They are marketed with the help of a social media account and landline number.

“A client from Haryana wants a bulk order of 24 baskets, each with its own unique colour combination. We are getting them ready for shipping,” says Deiyvanai, as her colleague Manimekalai cuts even lengths of wire from a pink bundle.

The worker uses her forearm as a ruler, and cuts the strips with the help of a metal snipper. Each artisan maintains their own marking system to ensure that the colours are used in the right order. “We keep checking each row’s progress with our fingers. It is easier to rectify mistakes in the manufacturing stage. The number of rows tells us when the basket is ready to be finished,” says Manimekalai.

In a week, the group gets through at least 25 kilos of vibrantly hued wire bundles. The knots are kept simple, to save on wire, and time.

Established in 1975 by noted ophthalmologist and philanthropist Joseph Gnanadhickam (founder of Joseph Eye Hospital), RCBW is devoted to training visually challenged women in the age group of 18 to 35 years for professional work.