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HAPACOOP has a holistic approach to provide motivation, training, information dissemination, technical assistance and livelihood to disabled individuals to make an honest living.
What is the project about?
HAPACOOP places itself within the milieu of a growing economy with depleting resources, shrinking job opportunities, inaccessibility to basic needs, and other such incongruent circumstances. We identify the crisis to be an ethical one rather than economic or climatic. We approach our work with a goal towards benefiting society. We employ social innovation and communication as a means to address societal challenges in a contextual way, targeted to promote the common welfare and to increase adaptive efficiency.
As of 2020, we have 3 papermaking units and 1 recycling initiative. These are standalone entities in their own right yet connected to each other as part of HAPACOOP’s ‘theory of doing’ approach. The units are:
1. MKT – Navsari, Gujarat.
2. Anand Dham – Ahmedabad – Gujarat.
3. Tiger Paper – Pench Tiger Reserve – Maharashtra.
4. Pulp Fiction Initiative – Mumbai – Maharashtra.
About MKT and Anand Dham:
We work with individuals with special needs at these two units. We find it highly demeaning to gain leverage from someoneʼs disabilities even for the benefit of the disabled, which is why we would make the most sincere recommendation that the products made at this workshop should not be marketed as products made by disabled individuals. It is contradictory to conventional norms of marketing and commerce. Often, their disability is looked at as the products unique selling point. We are convinced that this is an act of moral degradation. We have observed these individuals perform the art of Hand Paper Making; and from our experience, know-how and belief we firmly recommend that the quality of paper made by them is superior to the paper made by ʻnormalʼ individuals. This uniqueness/ distinctness comes from what is referred to as their ‘disability’. Their limitation gives them the patience and placidity required for a meditative activity like hand papermaking. Therefore let us work in a way, which would instil confidence and dignity in them. For it is our task is to suggest them a way on which they would tread with pride. There are therapeutic advantages associated with the activity as well. As this not our area of expertise, we cannot mention the specifics. However due to our interest in the subject, in general, we would like to work with a team of teachers who would be interested in evaluating the therapeutic implications.
About Pench Tiger Reserve Paper:
The Pench Tiger Reserve project aims to provide an opportunity of additional livelihood to women in the villages who live in the core areas of the Pench Tiger Reserve. They pursue agricultural activities only for 6-7 months of a year, the HMP unit will supplement the additional revenue which can be made during the rest of the year. The module has been designed for the Self Help Groups [SHG] at the Pench Tiger Reserve will use waste paper [newspapers, magazines, bill books] and cotton rags form the Morrarjee Mills, Nagpur and harvest rainwater to create value-added handmade paper products.
About Pulp Fiction Initiative:
Pulp Fiction Initiative’s mission is to create a holistic model for recycling organic floral waste with nationwide scalability. Recycle organic waste produced in flower markets, the floral decoration used at events, floral and non-floral organic waste from other sources and to create awareness about the creative use of organic waste to make value-added products. Pulp Fiction Initiative is currently focused within the city of Mumbai with the aim to scale it nationwide. Floral decoration and its allied applications are a huge industry with seasonal swings throughout the year. This is a steady and growing sector for enterprising entrepreneurs. The project involves the recycling of stems and leaves, which are a waste at the first level of the chain. The flowers are discarded much later. Our intention is to focus on this waste of stems and leaves. Due to the quantum and frequency at which this waste is available, we are focusing on creating volumetric products. These are shredded and beaten to a pulp. After thorough research and documentation, a recipe has been developed to create an admixture of organic pulp and binders, which can be used to make hard, strong and durable products.
Project Funded by
This is a self-funded initiative.
Stakeholders Involved
https://www.manavkalyantrust.org/
https://conservationwildlands.org/
http://ananddham.co.in/
What is the impact?
The various initiatives under HAPACOOP have generated a quantifiable impact on the ground. The women SHG has generated an additional income of 27000₹ last year alone. The units in Navsari and Ahmedabad provide employment opportunity to more than two dozen individuals with disabilities and the Pulp Fiction Initiative though recently established aims to recycle 1 ton of floral waste a month in the near future.
Gallery:
Images by Industhan | © all rights reserved
Links to read more:
About Industhan:
Industhan is a one of its kind vertically integrated design and manufacturing organisation that specialises in architectural design, paper making and architectural ceramics.
Winner ‘Project Leadership Programme 2011’
Awardees: Oikos International, Switzerland.
Winner ‘Impact Fair Award’ at the Futurelab, 2012
Awardees: Oikos International, Switzerland
Finalist, Summer School for Social Innovators, 2012
Invitee: European Business School, Will em Rhein, Frankfurt, Germany
’Social Entrepreneur’ at the European Business School, 2012
Awardees: European Business School, 65375 Oestrich Winkel, Rheingau region, Germany
