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Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers
(8 photographs)

by Nic Paget-Clarke
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
The Self-Employed Women's Assocation (SEWA), centered in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, is the largest single trade union in the country with a membership of 687,000 women. They are vegetable and garment vendors, in-home seamstresses, head-loaders, bidi rollers, paper pickers, construction workers, incense stick makers, and agricultural workers. They come from India's "unorganized sector" and organize for their just dues and rights. 96% of all women workers in India are in this sector. Among their achievements is the SEWA Bank whose capital is made up entirely of their own contributions. The bank was founded in 1974 by 4,000 women each contributing ten Rupees. Click on images to see larger version.
  • To read an interview with Jayshree Vyas , Managing Director of SEWA Bank- click here.
  • To read an interview with Ela Bhatt, founder and the first general secretary of SEWA. - click here.
Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers

Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers
Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers
Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers
Self-Employed Vegetable Sellers