ARCHIVED MEDIA RELEASE
PA/24/2004 21 October 2004
Australian High Commissioner visits Jaisalmer women's employment training centre
The Australian High Commissioner, Ms Penny Wensley AO, today visited Rani ka Mahal, a spice and pickle making centre in Jaisalmer Fort. The Australian High Commission has provided Rs 387,000 to the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which runs this centre set up to provide training to women in the production of pickles, chutneys and snacks.
While many women already possess skills to do this, the project aims to convert a domestic activity into one that generates an income. The women will also gain skills in book keeping, and the packaging and marketing of the finished products.
Ms Wensley said, "I am pleased to be able to support the work of INTACH in this important area. The training provides an opportunity for women in Jaisalmer to gain new skills and to earn an additional Rs300-500 per month.
The project fits well with the goals of the Direct Aid Program (DAP) which is managed by the Australian High Commission in New Delhi. The DAP funds grassroots development programs in a range of areas, including education, health, income generation and the environment."
"We are also very pleased to be able to collaborate with INTACH, an organisation which is doing important work throughout India, including in Rajasthan," the High Commissioner added.
The project establishes a critical link between INTACH and the community in which it undertakes its work. A non-profit organization, INTACH seeks to spread awareness about India's rich cultural and natural heritage, and the importance of preserving it. INTACH's work in Jaisalmer includes the preservation of the Hawa Prol, Bada Bagh, and the establishment of a museum and an Interpretation Centre.
For additional information, please contact Ms. Judith Kirkman, Second Secretary, Australian High Commission at 9810863600.