Kala Raksha Trust, a grassroots social enterprise, is dedicated to the preservation of traditional arts especially in the part of Gujarat called Kutch. Gujarat is the North-western state of India, bordering Pakistan. It has a very rich culture and many crafts with more than 50,000 artisans trying to earn a living as weavers, dyers, potters, stone- and wood carvers and coppersmiths. Here Kala Raksha has as an NGO with15 years of experience working with the local artisans. The organization dovetails documentation of textile arts of Kutch with income generation, encouraging artisans to access their strengths to earn a fair income.
Comprising artisans, community members, and experts in the fields of art, design, and museums, Kala Raksha was founded on artisan initiative in 1993. Uniquely committed to documenting existing traditions, the trust maintains a collection of heirloom textiles housed locally as a Resource Center and Museum. Artisans participated in establishing Kala Raksha’s Museum therefore it embodies a simple but revolutionary concept: involving people in presenting their own cultures. Kala Raksha has also etablished a school.
For more information about Kala Raksha, please visit their website: www.kala-raksha.org