Anzir Ahmed has been trained for 5 years in electroplating. It is a technical job which requires a great amount of skill and Anzir is currently training up an assistant to help with the work.

Anzir is part of a small group of artisans called Taja 8. He is currently the only one trained to carry out this part of the process and he earns 6,000 Rupees (NZ$180) a month working 6 days a week in a new, spacious and well ventilated workshop. Previously though, working in Delhi he earnt only 2800 Rupees for the same work in sub-standard conditions which led to him catching tuberculosis. He started as a child labourer in this industry and his story is common in Delhi with child labour rife in the metal plating industry. Tuberculosis is a common complaint from artisans working in unsafe workshops.

Anzir Ahmed, a technician working with jewellery producing group 'Taja 8'

For the safety of the workers and community, as well as environmentally it is essential that the waste from the silver plating process is disposed of properly. This process has not been adhered to in the workshops in Delhi leading to their recent ban in the city. The waste from the process at Taja 8 is poured into concrete wells which receive treating before disposal.

The casting and silver plating equipment they currently own was funded by the Trade Aid capacity building grant in 2004. Mohammed Younus, the leader of the Taja 8 jewellery group says about the equipment: