Workshop and Seminars

Fair Trade Forum-India, as part of its STREE Program, conducted a transformative Community Facilitators - Training of Trainers program in Kolkata, West Bengal, from 21st to 23rd November 2023. The intensive 3-day capacity-building initiative saw the participation of 35 artisans eager to enhance their skills and knowledge. Focused on "Design Thinking, Financial Literacy, and Digital Marketing and Communication skills", the program aimed to equip artisans with essential tools for success in the modern marketplace. Participants delved into innovative approaches to product design, financial management principles, and effective digital marketing strategies. The cascade module training, a cornerstone of the program's methodology, aims to amplify its impact at the grassroots level. Each trained community facilitator is empowered to pass on their knowledge to 50–100 artisans within their communities, fostering a multiplier effect of empowerment and skill development.

Fair Trade Forum India organized a Community Facilitator’s Training program from 26th to 28th October 2023 in Udaipur, Rajasthan. The workshop was conducted on the "Design thinking process", emphasizing "Designing, Financial Literacy, and Digital Marketing". The training program was attended by 30 women artisan leaders. The women artisans through the workshop enhanced their capacities by gaining insights into design thinking, financial literacy, and digital marketing. Additionally, fostering skills among women artisans can lead to increased financial independence, improved entrepreneurship, and a positive impact on the local economy. The five phases of design thinking—empathize, define, innovate, prototype, and test—were covered in the session. It gave a clear grasp of how this method of problem-solving is user-centered.

Community Facilitator’s Training Program was held in Agra, Uttar Pradesh from 24th to 26th July, 2023. This initiative aimed to empower women artisans in handicraft organizations by educating them consumer-centric product creation techniques utilizing design thinking tools. The training was additionally designed to improve their knowledge of digital marketing, communication, and financial literacy. The objectives of the training were: Comprehensive Understanding: To assist participants, grasp various aspects essential for running a successful craft enterprise, and understanding the interdependence of these aspects. Community Facilitator Training: To provide community facilitators with the required skills and knowledge to allow them to replicate their learning. This entailed allowing them to give training sessions in their communities, so improving the lives of the people with whom they worked. The initiative sought to empower not just the women artisans but also the community facilitators by achieving these goals, resulting in a positive influence on the local handicraft sector and the communities involved.