These Uttarakhand Sisters Use Handicrafts To Curb Forest Fires, Empower Women

Tackling environmental issues while simultaneously uplifting women is at the heart of Pirul Handicrafts, a Uttarakhand-based social enterprise founded by sisters Nupur and Sharvari Poharkar. They craft and sell fashion and decor paraphernalia made of pine needle waste, a naturally found material that poses a serious fire hazard in forested regions. Recognising this, the duo thought of an innovative approach to combating the threat and contributing to forest conservation while offering sustainable employment opportunities for local women. 

SheThePeople engaged in a conversation with Nupur, who spoke about her passion for climate conservation and the empowerment of women from indigenous communities. She also shared insights into the triumphs and challenges of being an entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of sustainable practices and social impact.

How Nupur, Sharvari Turned To Entrepreneurship

The Poharkar sisters, originally from Nagpur, Maharashtra, grew up in a family steeped in social causes. Their upbringing instilled in them a strong sense of responsibility towards their community and the environment. This led to Nupur, a veterinarian doctor, and Sharvari, a textile designer, embarking on an unexpected career path. 

After securing a degree in veterinary medicine like her father, Nupur was selected for a fellowship by the State Bank of India’s Youth For India program that aims to connect with rural and marginalised communities. She was placed in Khetikhan, Uttarakhand, where she started her Pirul (pirul/ piroul= pine needles in the native dialect) project in 2021.

During the fellowship, we were told to identify problems and find some solution that we, as an individual, can work on. The village is surrounded by huge pine forests so these needles are everywhere. I came across instances of forest fires, which were very severe, so I was thinking of what could be done with the needle waste. That's when my sister, who was studying at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in Patna at that time, suggested that I could make pine needle crafts like baskets and all.

Uttarakhand produces about 2.06 million tonnes of pine needles in 3.4 lakh hectares every year, according to experts at Pantnagar University. To tackle the problem of forest fires, the State government has launched initiatives, like the recent Pirul Lao Paise Pao, to use pine needles for more sustainable purposes like preparing bio-gas or bio-resin.

Mobilising Women Villagers

As Nupur researched more on using pine needles as materials for craft, she also involved some local women to get involved and in turn, take a step towards their financial independence. She explained how she mobilised the villagers and helped them seek sustainable livelihoods and also contribute to climate action. 

“Most of the men have migrated to the cities in search of employment while women are left to handle agriculture or cattle in the village. However, since that is an irregular income source and even many of the men had also lost their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a dire need to create alternate sources of livelihood,” Nupur shared.

That was when she introduced them to the idea of making and selling pine needle crafts. However, convincing the local villagers was not an easy task. Due to societal barriers or stigma around working with materials considered ‘waste’, she was faced with the challenge of overcoming resistance and changing perspectives.

However, when Nupur secured her first order, the women started warming up and became a part of the team. Later in 2021, Sharvari also joined Nupur’s project and helped turn it into a business venture. Despite the initial obstacles, the Poharkar sisters have established themselves as resilient entrepreneurs committed to their cause.

While Nupur and Sharvari had tackled the struggle of getting local women to work with them, the next challenge was to secure their involvement. As some of the workers were also seasonal agricultural labourers, the entrepreneur duo had to adjust their production cycle to accommodate their schedules during harvesting seasons.

Working With Local Communities

Nupur also spoke about how the women working with them are given the opportunity for self-expression and creativity. To keep the artists motivated, she shared that they are encouraged to use apps like Pinterest, which not only keeps them updated on trends but also gives them a spark of inspiration for their craft.

“These women handle everything in the village; they're like the backbone of life there. Life in the hills is very difficult, yet, their willingness to do more and contribute towards the income of their family inspires me a lot. These are the women whose perseverance, time management, and patience have motivated me to take the enterprise forward,” Nupur expressed.