ARTISAN SPOTLIGHT:

Khlapsang Karpo Women Recycled Handcrafts

Due to its remote location, Ganesh Himal Trading had to be creative with the raw materials used for products made by this group. All scraps of sari fabric and beads are transported on the backs of the villagers over a two day mountain trek to their community. Lack of tools and electricity create another obstacle to producing products. Determined to provide economic opportunity to women in this village following the devastating earthquake of April 2015, Ganesh Himal Trading combined simple skill with beautiful detail to make this one of a kind wearable art.

Two days walk from any road lies the village of Sertung. Ganesh Himal Trading’s owners walked through this village in the fall of 2015 during their survey of damage in the remote Northern regions of Dhading district following the April 2015 earthquakes. During this visit they met a young woman who was the health care worker there and her husband. Their village was so heavily damaged and they wanted to know if we could help them get some economic income to the women and children left in the village (Conscious Connections Foundation also provided blankets).

“Namaste, I would like to thanks for order necklaces. Our women life story is in Sertung women are maximum uneducated but they are everyday hard working. They do old type of farming and after planting they wait six month to get the crop.They have no [income generating] work. They are after earthquake live in small trap. This recycle necklace made them if you buy continue this necklace they get good incoming job.and help thier child study.” -Yogendra

The group name chosen by the women was “Khlapsang Karpo Women Recycled Handcrafts”, Khlapsang means “Good God” and Kharpo means “white”, this is the Tamang name for Ganesh Himal, the mountain whose shadow they live beneath. To start they are training about ten women and one man with others who are eager to be trained. The women include: Chesang Tamang, Khasa Maya Tamang, Tikhri Tamang, Lili Maya Bika, Heni Maya Tamang, Kheti Maya Tamang, Bata Maya Tamang, Ruku Maya Tamang, Gyalmo Tamang, Mili Maya Tamang,Toni Maya Tamang, and Yogendra Tamang.

Learn more about the Tamang people https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamang_people