06 November,2010 08:42 AM IST | | Urvashi seth
On her visit to New Delhi, the first lady will meet a women's NGO working for eco-friendly employment
Come November 8 and the US President Barack Obama's wife Michelle will get lessons in green technology from a women's NGO in New Delhi on her first visit to the country.
The NGO, Self Employed Women's Association, or SEWA, that had met Hillary Clinton during her visit to Mumbai last year, has decided to share its experience on using green technology tools and lessen the carbon footprint this year (see box).
This year, the organisation has decided to share their experience on using green technology tools like solar lights and clean cooking stoves and how these have helped them diminish the carbon footprint.
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They will also share how they have set up the Centre for Excellence in Green Livelihoods, an establishment for environmental-friendly employment.
SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre (STFC) Chairperson, Reema Nanavaty, who is busy finalising the details of their meeting with Michelle at Maurya Sheraton Hotel in New Delhi said they are yet to decide on what to gift Michelle when they meet her for a roundtable conference.
Reportedly, the NGO is planning to gift a 90-year-old traditional chaakda (a decorative piece) to her. But she said there may be some last-minute changes.
Nanavaty said that one of the NGO members, Kapilaben, would share her experience on how she used mobile phone technology to build her own micro enterprise.
"This year's agenda will be carbon print. We are going to discuss the need and the positive effects of using green technologies and how we need to strengthen them," she said.
SEWA was earlier honoured by an American grassroots environmental organisation called Sierra Club, for its work on green energy and livelihood for thousands of women across India.
What is sewa?
Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) is a member-based organisation of poor self-employed women workers.
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It has a membership of 1.5 million and is spread across 11 states in the country.
Last year, the SEWA members shared with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton the different ways of using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools for sharing and accessing information for empowering women in India's villages.
| SEWA Members |
| Ramilaben, the elected President of SEWA: She received various management and capacity building inputs and organised more than 100,000 members. Kapilaben: A widowed mother of three, she has used mobile phone technology to build her own micro enterprise. Deviben Rabari: A grassroots leader, Rabari is 19. She will talk about how using her traditional embroidery skill as an artisan. She encourages other young girls in preserving their traditional skills with education. |
