As part of its ongoing efforts to empower communities through skill development, Kolkata Mary Ward Social Centre conducted a handicraft training session for mothers and adolescents on 23^rd June 2025, under the Lotus Child Project. The training was held at the facilities of the organisation in Kolkata.

These sessions provided a creative platform where participants from the remote Dulki village in Sundarban area could learn and enhance their skills in various forms of handicrafts. The training focused on practical, hands-on learning — covering techniques such as paper craft, upcycled décor items, basic embroidery, and fabric-based handicrafts. Designed to encourage both creativity and self-reliance, the program emphasised the importance of using easily available or recycled materials, making it accessible and sustainable.

Mothers participated with great enthusiasm, discovering not only a potential avenue for supplementary income but also a sense of personal growth and achievement. Adolescents, on the other hand, explored their creative abilities and gained a new sense of confidence and purpose through the sessions. The trainer ensured that the sessions remained interactive, age-appropriate, and inclusive, offering individual attention and encouragement to each participant.

This initiative is more than just skill-building — it is about fostering a sense of dignity and self-worth among community members, especially women and youth, who often face socio-economic marginalisation. The handicrafts made during the training will also be showcased at upcoming community events, further encouraging the participants to value their craftsmanship.

Such skill-enhancing initiatives are stepping stones toward self-empowerment, economic participation, and the building of a resilient community.

“When hands learn to create, hearts learn to hope.”

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