User:Venkannanetha/sandbox

Note on Handloom Promotion Council

Handloom Promotion Council is a registered, non-profit organization, based in Hyderabad. As the name suggests, HPC is established primarily to promote the livelihoods of handloom weavers and growth of handloom sector. Considering the threats to handloom industry from modernization and modern technology, HPC has the following specific objectives:

1.	To facilitate the development of a positive attitude towards handloom products, sector and handloom weavers in the society 2.	To scuttle any threats to the sector, through increasing awareness programmes among consumers and policy makers 3.	To develop and coordinate a network of institutions and individuals, who work with similar objectives of promoting handloom sector

Handloom Promotion Council has been working strenuously for development of handloom weavers through various innovative programmes, by involving different strata of the society. These innovative programmes straddle markets, socio-economic and business contexts of handloom sector. These include celebration of handloom products as environment-friendly products, ad campaigns, celebration of World Handloom Day and networking with important socialites. For the past four years, with the support of both government and non-governmental organizations, HPC has been observing 7th August, every year, as World Handloom Day.

As part of this, Handloom Promotion Council is also sending our “Handloom News” to handloom weavers, through voice mail, on their cell phones. It has also started 24/7 Chenetha Helpline for handloom weavers. This was necessitated given the depressing conditions, abetted by lack of information, knowledge and opportunity. This Helpline is essentially to bring out handloom weavers from despair through information, counseling and networking, prevent suicides and increase their self confidence. By fortifying their confidence, the original intent of creativity can be enabled among them.

A Information Centre is also being developed, which would help in dissemination of information to handloom weavers and related people and institutions. Handloom News on mobiles is already being sent by us to more than 10,000 audience. This information centre would help in developing and disseminating information on various aspects related to livelihoods of handloom weavers and the external environment to their conditions.

Handloom News would help in improving awareness among handloom weavers on a regular basis. Information Centre would be able to document information, news and opinions, which could be used by the ‘Handloom news’ activity.