Anchal Awarded Prestigious Sustained Grant

We did it! We received sustained funding from Dining for Women for our newest initiative, Designing Colorful Change, which will allow us to train 135 women in harvesting and natural dye techniques in Ajmer, India!

This award demonstrates our ability to successfully implement a grant as a featured program, maintain strong partnerships & scale our project. More importantly, it will allow us to support 35  more women and train the existing 100 artisans in additional skills, broadening their career opportunities.

We have a long history with Dining for Women & we are so grateful for their continued support.

In October of 2012, Dining for Women, a U.S. -based organization that funds grassroots projects combating gender inequality in the developing world,  propelled Anchal’s growth when our initiative, Designing Change, Stitch by Stitch was selected as a featured program. With DFW’s generous grant of $49,337.00, Anchal expanded the artisan program in kantha quilt making that resulted in an increase of 15 to 90 artisan jobs in 2013.

Significantly, Dining for Women funds allowed us to collaborate with Urban Outfitters  in the creation of the Anchal x Urban Renewal Collection. The exclusive, 11-piece line of apparel highlighted portions of hand-sewn quilts, crafted from vintage saris by Anchal’s talented artisans. The distinctive, sold out collection with Urban Outfitters boosted Anchal’s national profile, raised awareness about women’s oppression in India and introduced socially conscious shopping to a fresh, young demographic.

In 2016, we will receive $20,000 per year for three years, totaling $60,000 to expand our program and teach the artisans new skills. This will simultaneously address the exploitation of women in India and help us create a new, unprecedented collection that will ensure continued growth. It is absolutely life-changing for every Anchal artisan.

With the help of Dining for Women we are proving that design can change lives. We couldn't be more thrilled.