Skilled Samaritan - Generating Best Out Of Waste Through Skilled Craftsmanship

credit - Skilled Samaritan
credit - Skilled Samaritan

The proliferation of plastic has resulted in the creation of global plastic waste and the acceleration of the global climate. Single - plastic use has only grossed more problems with regard to the current environmental crisis. Skilled Samaritan is a company that focuses on waste Reuse and upcycling plastic waste to transform and develop plush designer products using multilayer plastic and textile waste. The company also focuses on empowering women through revoking age old weaving traditions through skilled craftsmanship. Concentrated within the Northern villages of India, Skilled Samaritan strives to revive the ancient form of weaving to create and sustain these trained artisans with livelihood and employment. Their craftsmanship revolves around the creation of charpai - a multifaceted intricately woven piece of furniture, commonly associated with siestas, conversations, social gatherings and even child birth. Their main aim is centred around creating sustainable livelihoods by recycling plastic waste by skilfully keeping it within the bounds of the economy instead of the environment.

Enlighten us about the Skilled Samaritan organisation and the cause behind this project.

Founded in 2012, Skilled Samaritan is a registered Section 8 company, operating as a not for profit organisation in India. Initial projects focused on model of rural electrification, where we created an impact on over 15,000 lives. In October 2018, SSF pivoted to an innovative model to address the issues arising due to single use plastic by creating employment for women from our initial project sites to develop designer products using MLP (Multi Layer Plastic) and textile waste. #wastetowow. Our mission is to create sustainable livelihoods by reusing (circulating) plastic waste by keeping it in the economy and out of the environment.

Elaborate upon the remote nuances that go into the making and the methods used for Skilled Samaritan’s products.

We convert waste into usable forms which is hand woven by women from disadvantaged communities to make contemporary, yet functional products for an urbane user. Circular economy solutions will help minimise waste and to keep materials in the economy and out of landfills & incinerators, that adds to the global plastic waste. We’ve identified a few methods of reusing pre and post consumer plastic waste such as chips packets, candy wrappers, biscuit wrappers etc to create our products.Reuse (Sustainability) We use pre and post consumer single use plastic waste (MLPs) and textile waste to weave our products. Revive (Innovation) Confined mostly to communities nestled in the interiors of Northern India, SSF is reviving age old techniques used in the charpai form of weaving to develop products of contemporary appeal. Recognise (Empowerment) We spent half a decade in recognising skill-sets of weavers to train and pass on this form of weaving to rural women creating sustainable livelihoods for those that never imagined a life beyond household chores.

The company strives to revive the ancient form of weaving to create and sustain artisans with livelihood.

How do we bring about a major change towards the cause of reducing plastic, not only at an individual level but at a mass stance?

Through Workshops on Removing, Reducing, Reusing single use plastic waste to create awareness, cleanliness drives in communities and ways to reuse, remove and reduce plastic in your home and work places.

You can reach out to Skilled Samaritan on their Instagram here.

and also check out their work here.

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