My last blog was about the impact of climate change and how we can shift our focus from single-use plastics to environmentally friendly and sustainable options such as bamboo products. But you may ask, what about other products made of plastic? Aren’t they polluting the environment as well?

Most importantly, what about the small-scale businesses that make single-use plastic products? A ban on single-use plastic products such as bags, straws, cutlery and so on will hit lives and the businesses around such products.

The question is, what should be our priority—Climate change or livelihoods? The answer is both. We cannot turn a blind eye to the intensified impact of climate change or ignore the livelihoods associated with single-use plastics.

But one can surely diversify, re-imagine and re-invent, and most importantly, adopt a better, sustainable mode of business. We can, with some effort, change our line of business for better opportunities for ourselves and healthier options for everyone else.

In Maharashtra, a group of 12 specially-abled people made rakhis out of bamboo. This kept them gainfully employed. Since last year, the government’s effort to boost indigenous handicrafts, with special reference to sustainable products, has helped Indian-made rakhis beat mass-produced foreign products.

Proactive environmental conservation coupled with the government initiative to boost sustainable, traditional crafts will surely drive positive action against climate change. But the onus is not just with organizations and the government but also with us. The real change will come from a change in mindset. Jute bags or plastic bags? Bamboo baskets or plastic baskets? The choice lies with us.

When Minati Hansda’s nephew chose to leave the family business of bamboo handicrafts to work in a factory, everyone in the family was saddened. The bright young man had no hopes for the family’s bamboo handicraft business. He thought it was old, redundant and irrelevant. The fast life of technology and chemicals (even if toxic) was the real deal for him. Following his footsteps, the other children in Minati’s family started showing a similar disdain for their bamboo handicraft business.

But the disdain didn’t stay for long.

When the government announced lockdowns to check the COVID19 pandemic, the economic and financial landscape changed and forced many to rethink their way of living and thinking. An increase in the number and frequency of cyclones made people look closely at global warming and environmental damage.

The children in Minati’s household also felt this change. Her nephew, realizing the power in the call of “Vocal for local”, returned to his small village of Majlishbag in West Bengal’s Maldah district. But, by this time, the family’s bamboo handicrafts business had suffered huge losses because the lockdowns had taken away their biggest chunk of customers—the villagers who used to throng the fairs.

The art had come down to Minati from her parents. Minati dreamt of expanding the operations and passing her knowledge down to the children. But she had no capital.

Minati’s nephew knew that his expertise and his aunt’s talent could revive the business. In this journey, Village Financial Services became a proud partner.

With a loan from VFS, Minati and her nephew accelerated operations once the lockdown was lifted. The loan money helped Minati transport her bamboo products to markets in nearby villages and towns.

Minati now despatches products to markets around the year, not just during the season of country fairs. Most importantly, with her nephew, she was able to gain the trust of her future generations for the family business. Today, as she spoke about her journey with our VFS customer executive, she recalls how her father used to say that all they have gained is because Mother Earth was benevolent to them.