MAYA Organic, the brainchild of Ashoka fellow Solomon JP, seeks not only to transform livelihoods of its workers but also to create a new brand of artisan-crafted products. A section 25 non-profit company, this social enterprise sells lacware toys, furniture, educational aids, and a variety of other high quality products. Certain items are only sold locally or nationally (ex. furniture), whereas other products, such as the toys, have some international distributors.
Many enterprises that sell handicrafts or other commodities made by lower-income workers in developing countries often stake their business case on an emotional appeal, emphasizing that the profit from the sale will go to improving livelihoods. However, these products often lack in quality.
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In contrast, MO’s goal is to create a new brand rooted in high-quality artisan crafts while also employing a cottage industry model of production (instead of building a large factory). The company has developed highly-detailed curricula relating to its production processes and hosts training sessions in the vicinity of where the employees live and work. This decentralized model of production allows for the development of worker-owned enterprises, a key resource for the empowerment of informal sector workers. (Read more about MO’s guiding vision here.) |
One of Mr. Solomon’s points key points was that a good product comes from a good institution (hence the amount of time and care that goes into the intricacies of MO’s operations). Hearing Mr. Solomon express this conviction was, for me, an inspiring moment of affirmation and mutual understanding, for GSE’s goal in India are very similar. Our trip sought to initiate ties that will help us build a strong institution for GSE, both at the College and on the ground through local partnerships in India. Only with this strong foundation, especially with the input of local expertise, will GSE be able to deliver a “good product” to its client organizations.
We also had a very thought-provoking conversation about the definition of a “social entrepreneur,” a concept defined loosely even on our own blog. Look for an upcoming post from Professor Moledina about this topic!
