Mijwan Welfare

Society

Presented to: Ettishree Rajput

Presented by: Akash Kum

Aman kuma
Anamika sona
Nidhi Chauha
Rimjhim bhara
Shaheb kum

Mijwan Welfare Society

Mijwan Welfare Society (MWS) is an NGO founded by

Shabana Azmis father and famous Urdu poet, Kaifi Azmi in
1993 that works for the empowerment of villagers in a small
village, Mijwan in Azamgarh UP where he was born.

The various institutions here reflect the literacy and cultural

heritage.Kaifi Azmi believed that in a country like India
where 80% of the population lives in the villages, we will
need to empower villages if India is to make any real
progress.

After he passed away on 10th May 2002, Shabana Azmi,

along with her godchild Namrata Goyal, has taken on the
task of carrying her father's dream forward by steering MWS
which runs:

Kaifi Azmi High School for girls

Kaifi Azmi Inter College for girls

Kaifi Azmi Computer Training Center

Kaifi Azmi Sewing and Tailoring Center

Shabana Azmi and Kaifi Azmi

www. mws.com

When 21 year old Namrata Goyal became the Youth

President of MWS, she brought fresh energy and a new
perspective. She got her young friends involved and went all
out to ask my colleagues from the Film Industry to lend their
support.

Shabana Azmi and Namrata Goyal

www.dnaindia.com

How Fashion Helped in Improving

Conditions?
Early
Marriages

Struggle for
Equality

Orthodox
Beliefs

Girl Education

Initiatives
Today through their
collective efforts ,they
have not only generated
100% women employment
in the village but also
improved education
conditions, and removed
social injustice such as
child marriages and dowry
system.
MWS focuses on the major
problems persisting in the village
Mijwan ,which includes gender
inequality and dependency of
women in a patriarchal society.
After the death of Kaifi Azmi ,his
efforts are carried on by his
actress daughter Shabana Azmi
and Namrata Goyal.

The Objective of the Society

are Employment, Selfreliance, Sustainable
development.
Through Empowerment ,MWS
brings Social and Economic
equity to the villagers.

Designer for a cause

Nothing can be better than when

fashion and charity comes
together and this is what MWS
has achieved.

In the past one year , the label

of Manish Malhotra has taken
initiative to promote regional
handicraft and workmanship
from rural areas of India.

Such initiative is taken with

Shabana Azmis Mijwan Welfare
Society for their intricate and
exclusive hand embroidered
chikankari .

The label has adopted 45 girl

workers from the village of
Mijwan

Charity Shows

MEN FOR MIJWAN ,FASHION SHOW 2014

MIJWAN SONNETS IN FABRICS 2012 ,WILLS LIFESTYLE

www.delhistyleblog.com/2012/10/manishmalhotra.html

www.delhistyleblog.com/2012/10/manishmalhotra.html

The needle work by the Mijwan girls is exquisite and phenomenal which has gained
recognition even on the international platforms

MEN FOR MIJWAN 2014 FASHION

SHOW

MANISH MALHOTRA S5 2013 MIJWAN

SONNETS IN FABRICS
www.delhistyleblog.com/2012/10/manishmalhotra.html

MANISH MALHOTRA S5 2013

MIJWAN SONNETS IN FABRICS

Men For Mijwan

The Mijwan Collection
by Manish Malhotra

Date: 1st April 2014

Venue: Grand Hyatt Mumbai

Men for Mijwan is the fourth fashion show by

the NGO that showcased stunning chikankari
of
the Mijwan girls.

Manish Malhotras Men for Mijwan on April 1

in support of women empowerment.
http://www.mijwan.org/events-pressmedia/mijwan-sonnets-in-fabrics/55-dancein-the-rain-mijwan-sonnets-in-fabrics2012.html

RECENT FASHION SHOWS

Ranbir Kapoor, Men for

Mijwan, April 2014
http://www.mijwan.org/gallery
-images-videos

Sonnets in fabrics ,2012

Manish malhotra

Amitabh bachchan in men

for mijwan April,2014
http://indianexpress.com/art
icle/entertainment/bollywoo
d

(contd.
)

Lakmi fashion week 2011, Namrata Goyal

https://www.google.c
o.in/search?
q=men+for+mijwan

https://www.google.co
.in/search?
q=anita+dongre+for
+mijwan

The Women For Mijwan

ANITAS COLLECTION FOR MIJWAN

Designer Anita Dongre showcased an exquisite

collection at the ongoing Lakme Fashion Week
(LFW) Winter/Festive 2011 featured embroidery
by the women of NGO Mijwan run by
actress Shabana Azmi.
She introduced handcrafted chikankari lehenga
Anita Dongre

embroidered accomplished by craftswomen

of Mijwan.

http://wonderwoman.intoday.in/s
tory1/ngo-women-create-anitadongres-lfwcollection/1/91781.html

Embroidery and Sewing

Centres

Weaving threads of change

In 1994, Kaifi Azmi Embroidery and Sewing centre was set up

on land donated by him. This Centre began in a small two
room building with one sewing teacher. Kaifi lobbied
withRuna Banerjee of SEWA Lucknowto send trainers to
Mijwan to teach the craft of chikankari.
In year 1999Nilima Sabharwal, the founder ofHome of
Hope Inc.helped construct a production centre and donated
several sewing machines to Kaifi Azmi Sewing and
Embroidery centre.
Later MWS was linked to Crafts of Hope founded byRupali
Saiyyabased in California engaged the services of the girls
to produce crochet articles to be sold on ebay.
In 2009, renowned fashion designerAnita Dongrevisited
Mijwan and was impressed enough to take them on board
under her label AND grassroots. This was a huge boost for the
girls' sense of self-esteem.
In 2011, leading fashion guru andBollywood designer
Manish Malhotravisited Mijwan and was enchanted by the
fashion show put up by the girls from the Kaifi Azmi school.
He saw tremendous potential in them and decided to adopt
the Kaifi Azmi sewing and embroidery centre.
The 2012 edition of the show showcased embroidery done
entirely by the girls of Mijwan. Manish Malhotra translated
work done by Mijwan girls into contemporary modern
designs.
Today it runs 10 centres all over Eastern U.P.
WWW.MWS.COM

Weaving threads of change(contd.)

Mijwan Welfare Society(MWS)ensured

empowerment and financial independence to cent
per cent girl/women through itsChikankaari
Center. Chasing it's own dream,MWShas inspired
women of adjacent villages to follow the suit to
increase the family income through it's Chikankaari
Center.
These girls, who previously lacked a formal
education were now being offered a structured
program in sewing and embroidery. MWS in
collaboration with Crafts of Hope(Crafts of Hope is a
non-profit organization dedicated to helping the
disadvantaged women and children earn a
livelihood by learning and applying a valuable skill.)
engaged the services of the girls to produce crochet
articles to be sold on ebay.

http://www.pinterest.com

Products manufactured by the students of Home of

Hope's Mijwan project are offered for sale on a web
site. Girls are paid for their work and any net profits
are donated for the cause. Currently available
online, there are hats, beanie hats, shawls, scarves,
crocheted caps and matching sets. Soon, there will
be cardigans, dog sweaters and more, with prices
ranging from $6.95 to $32.95.

Crafts of hope
Craft of hopes page
www.facebook.com

Sewing center of mijwan

www.mws.com

New Horizons

Through Empowerment, MWS brings social and economic equity to the

villagers.

By promoting village based small-scale industries and supporting it with

marketing skills and strategies, MWS facilitates viable Self Employment. It
is heartening that the craftsmanship skills of Mijwan, are being
recognised the world over. Their work goes to Mumbai Lucknow and USA.

A Mijwan lady at one of the

centres
Crafthope.typead.com

Recognition: Newspaper clipping

from Hindustan

Naomi Campbell
www.mws.com

CONCLUSION

In the globalised world of fashion India scores because we have craftsmanship that the West
does not. This is our USP and thats what we need to focus on. Mijwan is a microcosm of
what India has to offer the world. We have a long history of the warp and weft of design
aesthetics.
It is heartening that the craftsmanship skills of Mijwan, are being recognised the world over.
Their work goes to Mumbai Lucknow and USA.
Its time we rediscover ourselves and go back to our roots.
Today Mijwan is a model village. But it was a long and ardous journey filled with obstacles
that had to to be faced with many a hurdle from vested interests. Once when Shabana asked
her dad, ' Abba don't you get frustrated when change doesn't occur at the pace you want it
to ?' he answered with equanimity, 'bete when you are working for change, you should build
into that expectation the possibility that the change might not happen in your lifetime. But
you must have the conviction that if you carry on working with dedication then the change is
bound to occur - even if it happens after you'.

Thank