A Women's Passion
In 2004, a co-operative was founded by an American academic and the Catholic churches of south India which assisted Siddi women of 3 villages in Uttara Kannada to convert the domestic skill of quilt-making into a profitable commercial enterprise. This endeavour saw tremendous success in the international market. The women entrepreneurs of Kendelgari speak passionately about their achievements. Since the cooperative's inception, Siddi women of neighbouring villages interact more regularly and have found a new sense of community.
A long-standing domestic tradition, quilting is very much a communal activity that joins with the bustle of life taking place outside on the porch.