Equitable Marketing Association (EMA)

India

Anudevi Singh, Stone Making Group Varanasi

Purpose

The Equitable Marketing Association's (EMA) mission statement is:

Let us transform the structures of economic, social and political injustice, both national and international.
Let us create and sustain structures that enable those who produce to live with dignity.
Let us in our own behaviour, actions and structures, be tolerant, transparent and fair and allow everyone in our family to reach their human potential through participation in our decision making processes.
Let us achieve our goals, not by criticism or confrontation, but by open dialogue and respect for those who have views other than our own, and by example.
Let us protect and preserve our environment (water, land and air, trees and plants, animals, birds, fish and insects) for ourselves, our neighbours and the future generations of mankind.
Let us believe in ourselves and in our destiny that WE SHALL OVERCOME!!

EMA aims to:

motivate young persons, particularly women from the marginalized section of their society to struggle to transform their so-so economic situations
assist such motivated persons to acquire productive skills through training
create employment opportunities for such motivated and trained people by assisting them to establish their own co-operative productive units
assist such units (their co-operative members) to remain afloat and prosperous
- by acting as a bank which does not levy any interest on loans
- by creating new designs
- by consistently assisting with approved quality and productivity
- by carrying out the export marketing needs of these co-operative members
establish their own marketing units to absorb craftspersons from organisations which do not meet their ethical standards.

Producers

There are two categories of producers: those employed at the production centre, and those belonging to producer groups both locally and further away.

The in-house producers, who are employed full-time, work in leather products, screen printing, drum making, candles and incense, and include significant numbers of disabled artisans, single women, and those from the surrounding community who would not otherwise have employment. Many live on the large rural property during the week and go home at weekends. There has been a big increase in numbers in this category over the last few years with the addition of the leather unit, partly as a means to control production and meet market demand. This was also the case with the screen printing unit where control of dyes used and quality demands needed to be met.

The producer groups outside include co-operatives producing horn, brushes, games, madelas, and stone and wooden products. Small private businesses produce horn, leather, clay, ppier mach (from Kashmir) and other crafts. It is likely that this group of artisans fares less well than the in-house employees in terms of benefits and continuous employment.

Gender issues are addressed through giving priority to single women in employment, and half of the management team at the centre is women.

Benefits

Of the many benefits for producers, there is routine training in production, design and quality matters for both categories of members. In-house producers save 12% of wages, matched by EMA under the government provident fund; their families are covered by a medical benefit; local students and children of producers receive grants to cover school books (250 in 2008); services that extend to the local community include provision of solar cookers; in-house producers enjoy social occasions and work in a pleasant and participatory environment.

Interest-free loans for purchase of raw materials or machinery are available to co-operatives.