Basha & Kantha
What is Kantha?
Kantha is a type of embroidery craft in the eastern regions of the Indian subcontinent, specifically in Bangladesh and in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura and Odisha. Vintage saris are stacked on each other and hand-stitched and brought back to life as stunning quilts, swaddles, and headwraps. The Bohemian Collective sources all of their kantha product through Basha.
Basha & Their Mission
Through dignified work, Basha provides a sustainable livelihood for women at risk and survivors of trafficking. Women gain job skills and the opportunity to develop into leaders and entrepreneurs in a healthy, healing, supportive environment. Basha exports hand made, boutique quality products around the world.
General Information
As women learn the intricate skills needed to produce each Basha product, they receive many benefits in addition to their pay. At Basha they place as much funding into programs that enrich the lives of the women and their families as possible.
They offer:
- Fair Living Wages
- Reasonable Work Hours
- Healthy, safe, community-filled work environment
- Continuing Education Programs in: English, Bangla, Budgeting
- Pay for time attending classes
- Savings Programs
- Bonuses and profit sharing
- Counselling
- Medical Benefits and coverage for major medical procedures
- Day care and school support/sponsorship
- Community building, participatory business practices, and appreciation of each staff member’s contribution makes Basha a special place to work. By providing day care, developmentally appropriate educational activities, and school support, Basha seeks to break the cycle of poverty and exploitation in the upcoming generation as well.
In the Bengali language basha means ‘house’ and asha means ‘hope’. Basha is the house of hope we're building in Bangladesh. A house that provides opportunity and new beginnings for those who thought they were out of options. BASHA’s house of hope is a social enterprise based in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka. The slums of this city are bursting talent: careful tailors, printers and embroiderers. These women have little status and live in extreme poverty. They are often forced into work they would not choose for themselves, and many are unemployed. To help them build better life, now BASHA is training a number of them to turn their talent to jewellery and beautiful Kantha throws and blankets which Basha exports around the world.