The NGO Apang Mandal Mandav is truly one of its kind. It is collectively run on donations, some State funding and by a dedicated core of Gujarati volunteers and teachers since 1953. It now houses 200 boys and 160 girls who are given compulsory education and the best fashion design degree training available in Gujarat. Though these young adults have varying orthopedic conditions(Polio was just eradicated in India to 99% in the past 2 years), they are unhindered and positively learn to compete in the textile workforce of Gujarat.
The facility houses separate boy's and a girl's hostels with basic amenities, a public orthopedic physical therapy center run by a volunteer doctor, day care for 25 mentally retarded children and such. Awards of sewing equipment and tools are given annually to excellent students toward the progress of their independence in such entrepreneurship. The differently-abled young men and women of AMM use their skills to produce a fashion line(4 years old) called PURNA which means "perfect" and then some private label work is also completed on site for well known clients such as FabIndia. The quality of work is impressive. The workshops and some of the equipment have been specially designed for this NGO. Atelier OM is excited for our chance to collaborate with the members of this NGO.
note the low pattern cutting tables where the workers can freely move about.
spacious and light sewing studio with state of art juki machines
view of classroom with foot pedal machines....
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| RAMbhai |
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| MANJU & KIRTI |
DEVYANI ironing
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| KIRTI working on new designs |
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| DEVYANI showing off new purse design |
Working on projects for PURNA together!
group picture of AMM staff.
