Green Fem Producer Company Limited
UNITING WOMEN'S ECONOMIC POWER AND THE PRESERVATION OF NATURE
Respecting Our Earth and Women's Beauty:
The exclusion of women is evident in developing countries like India, where poverty and the marginalization of women result in discrimination, oppression, and limited access to nutrition, healthcare, education, employment, property, and other valuable resources. Throughout its two-decade journey of development, the Voluntary Association for People's Service (VAPS) has identified two crucial gaps in achieving economic empowerment for grassroots women. Firstly, the failure to recognize the triple roles performed by women, which encompass reproduction (childbearing), production (economic contribution), and what social researchers refer to as social reproduction (nurturing children and caring for the sick). Secondly, the failure to acknowledge women's productive labor. VAPS has progressively addressed these issues by promoting the formation of "Green Fem Producer Organization" which bring together women's collective labor and organize them under a legal framework.
Green Fem's Path to a Sustainable World
By valuing marginalized women and nature, and harnessing women's traditional and entrepreneurial skills, Green Fem responsibly produces and offers environmentally friendly products such as cloth and jute bags, organic soaps, and herbal napkins. Through these interventions, rural women in Madurai are empowered while our planet rejuvenates. The company manufactures eco-friendly bags and organic foods, providing employment and livelihood opportunities for grassroots women. The members of Green Fem firmly believe that through the collective force of rural women, they can promote women's power and rebuild our planet for future generations. In essence, by producing eco-friendly products, they encourage consumers to embrace biodegradable alternatives, thus preserving our environment and mitigating plastic pollution. VAPS and NABARD, two institutions dedicated to these causes, have joined hands to establish Green Fem as a formal institution for women who are environmentally conscious and committed to building a strong and productive female workforce for our nation.
Green Fem - A Gender-Specific Value Chain in Madurai, Tamil Nadu State
Green Fem itself serves as a model of sustainability, as every intervention over the past four years has aimed for this goal. The organization has empowered numerous women, enabling them to emerge as entrepreneurial leaders. Many have become resource persons and subject matter specialists, providing training on eco-friendly products. Others have expanded their own product lines, established their brands, and complied with legal regulations, including licensing. The majority of these women have experienced an increase in their income. Not only has self-employment thrived, but the creation of secure wage employment through entrepreneurship stands as a significant milestone for VAPS.
