This Chennai youth-led movement supports rural communities by helping find their true livelihoods

Founded in 2020, Chennai-based youth-led movement The Nonurban Foundation spurs action towards supporting rural communities such as the palm basket-weavers of Pulicat

The stark palm trees that ring the shore town of Pulicat (Pazhaverkadu) have witnessed the ebb and tide of history. The Portuguese came first, followed by the Dutch who made Pulicat the capital of the Dutch Coromandel until it passed into British hands in 1825. Over three centuries, the town, 60 kilometres North of Chennai — located on the fringe of a lagoon —has been peopled by fisherfolk and thousands of migratory birds.

Another inalienable feature of Pulicat is the sight of many women weaving colourful baskets from locally-sourced palm fronds. A generation ago, basket weaving was popular, but with youth leaving their homes on the islands in the lagoon for more mainstream jobs, and political fallout between local communities, basket weaving was relegated to the bottom of the craft heap.