January 2026 was a dynamic and impactful month for the Women’s Empowerment (WE) Project Store, marked by artisan expansion, sustainability initiatives, national-level exhibitions, international collaborations, institutional partnerships, and large-scale production orders.
January 1, 2026 – Skill Expansion Initiative | Vallikavu, Kollam
Pattern drafting for a new kurti design was completed and sent to Sujisha Chechi for trial production. This initiative aims to expand the artisan pool for international production and assess advanced skill capabilities, strengthening global readiness.
January 2, 2026 – Sustainability & National Outreach | Vallikavu
The team took stock of coffee pouches donated by Meenamba Chechi from the Ashram. These materials will be transformed into value-added upcycled products, reinforcing sustainable production practices.
On the same day, the WE Project Store set up a stall at the Amritapuri Regional Finals of the
International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), hosted at
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Vallikavu.
Students from leading engineering institutions across India visited the stall, appreciated the handmade and upcycled products, and actively supported the initiative through purchases.
Conference Orders – Delivered January 3, 2026
An order received on December 19, 2025, from the Provost Office of Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kattilkadavu, for 150 tote bags was successfully completed and delivered on January 3, 2026.
The bags were produced by the Sivasakthi tailoring group from Karungapally, comprising 11 women trained under the AMRITA SANKALP AVSAR Skill Training Programme. The products were prepared for the conference titled “Sustaining Innovation: Embedding R&D in State Institutions” held on January 8–9, 2026.
An additional order of 150 drawstring pouches for the same conference, received on December 22, 2025, was also delivered successfully.
On the same day, the WE Project Store set up a stall at the Amritapuri Regional Finals of the
International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC), hosted at
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Vallikavu.
Students from leading engineering institutions across India visited the stall, appreciated the handmade and upcycled products, and actively supported the initiative through purchases.
January 5, 2026 – Study Conference Order
An order for 60 digitally printed blue tote bags was received from Mar Thoma Suvishesha Sevika Sangam.
The bags are intended for Study Conference 2026 organized by the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Ranni–Nilackal Diocese, scheduled for January 27–28, 2026 at Thekkady Mar Thoma Meadows.
The materials were cut and dispatched for digital printing on the same day, ensuring timely execution.
January 8–9, 2026 – National Workshop Exhibition & Gifting Partnership
The WE Project Store exhibited at the National Workshop on “Sustaining Innovation: Embedding R&D in State Institutions”, hosted by NITI Aayog and the Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology in collaboration with Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.
The WE Store proudly served as the official gifting partner, supplying workshop kits and exclusive VVIP gifting kits for dignitaries.
January 10, 2026 – Market Visit to Tiruppur
A sourcing visit to Tiruppur was conducted to explore innovative fabrics and accessories for bag and pouch production. Suppliers visited included Suresh and Co., Priyanka Laces & Zippers, Shri Prakash Sequence, Golden Threads, Tailors Kart, and Shankar Textiles.
Additional visits to a jersey export manufacturing unit and a screen-printing factory supported efforts in material innovation, cost optimization, and improved product design under livelihood initiatives.
January 12, 2026 – “One World – One Heart” Exhibition
The “One World – One Heart” exhibition brought together students, parents, and the wider community to celebrate unity, creativity, and shared global values. The event received strong media coverage across Kerala and emphasized empathy, harmony, and collective responsibility.
January 13, 2026 – Honduras Eye Care Camp Order
An order for 50 bags was received from Shambhavi Susan for an Eye Care Camp in Honduras conducted by AMMACHI Labs / Centre for Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality (CWEGE) in collaboration with Vision Without Borders.
Production was carried out entirely by Sreeshma Chechi, trained under the SANKALP AVSAR project, with final quality checks conducted by the WE Store team.
January 15, 2026 – SPARC Symposium Conference Gifts
An order for 20 paintings was received for presentation to national and international delegates at the SPARC Symposium (February 9–11, 2026), hosted by the Amrita School of Biotechnology.
The paintings are being created by artisans trained under the UNDP WE PROJECT 2012 supported by Amrita University, including Sharmila Chechi, Princy Chechi, Likitha Chechi, Anuragi Chechi, and Shibi Chechi.
Production was carried out entirely by Sreeshma Chechi, trained under the SANKALP AVSAR project, with final quality checks conducted by the WE Store team.
January 16, 2026 – Organic Growth & International Market Access
A successful Customer-to-Customer (C2C) referral led to a new customer conversion, demonstrating strong word-of-mouth organic growth in Vallikavu.
On the same day, a strategic meeting was held with Michelle C (Amritamba), a US-based jewelry designer, to explore onboarding artisans onto global platforms like Etsy and potential sampling collaborations with Smathers & Branson.
January 22, 2026 – Tiruppur Industrial Collaboration Visit
Representatives visited Tiruppur Textile Industrial Units to explore partnerships between Amrita-trained artisans and export companies.
The team, along with mentors Vignesh and Sudarshan, visited SSS Eco Bags, Raam Gada Center, Lakshmi Dyeing Unit, Jersey Fashion export unit, and a screen-printing facility to strengthen export readiness and supply chain integration.
On the same day, a Rural MBA module session on effective use of Pinterest and YouTube for business, along with cost-price and selling-price orientation, was tested with Aswathy Ji, a Sankalp Avsar graduate.
January 25–31, 2026 – SAARC & National Nursing Conference Order
An order for 210 customized digitally printed bags was received for the 4th International RFCCN SAARC Conference and the 8th National Nursing Conference 2026 hosted by the Critical Care Nurses Society (CCNS), Pune (February 6–7, 2026).
The Shivashakthi Stitching Unit handled production, followed by quality checking, packing, and successful courier dispatch by the WE Store team.
During the same period, an additional order for 36 maroon bags and 36 drawstring pouches was completed for another biotechnology conference scheduled in February.
January 26, 2026 – International Delegation Visit
The WE Store stall at Amritapuri campus was visited by Nick Booker, Co-Founder and CEO of IndoGenius.
He was traveling with 16 students from New Zealand under the Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme. The delegation appreciated the upcycling initiatives and handcrafted products, purchasing souvenirs and expressing admiration for Amma’s global humanitarian initiatives.
January 29, 2026 – AMMACHI Labs Annual Meeting
AMMACHI Labs conducted its Annual Meeting at Acharya Hall, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Vallikavu. The meeting included center presentations, creative workshops, activities, and felicitations.
The WE Store presented its annual achievements, collaborations, and future roadmap.
January 31, 2026 – Creative Ideation Session
Muskan Chhatwal conducted an online mood-boarding session with the WE Project Store team, guiding participants through structured creative ideation. She demonstrated how to create mood boards for tangible and intangible themes, including an example inspired by Amma’s teachings for a conference bag concept.
Conclusion
January 2026 reflects a month of meaningful progress for the WE Project Store — blending artisan empowerment, sustainable production, national-level participation, international outreach, industry collaboration, and educational capacity-building.
The consistent execution of institutional orders, expansion into global platforms, and strengthening of artisan skill sets continue to reinforce the project’s mission of sustainable livelihood generation and socially responsible production.
