Tara Projects (Trade Alternative Reform Action)

Tara began in the 1960's and works not only to improve the lives of its artisans, but also the communities associated with them. In addition to giving employment to many small producers, Tara Projects runs development programmes that are designed to support socially and economically marginalized people. These have helped to bring about socio-economic change for artisans and the communities.

Tara is actively involved in literacy programmes and anti-child labour campaigns. Tara's welfare workers make regular visits to the city suburbs to investigate the use of child labour in the unorganised handicraft sector.

Tara aims to raise awareness of child labour, the lack of sufficient rehabilitation schemes and the importance of Fair Trade, which helps to alleviate the problem by ensuring that children are not involved in craft production, but sent to school instead.

Currently Tara works mainly in the Northern Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and the Union territory of Delhi.

Tara projects fund non-formal and vocational schools as well as literacy centres for adults and are constantly campaigning and educating people about fair trade. Their goal is to end injustice and manipulation in the world mass trade system.

As well as encouraging action on the issues affecting the lives of underprivileged workers, Tara holds many events to discuss the responsibilities of their own staff and producers to improve their communities.

For World Environment Day, Tara hosts meetings to inform its employees and artisans about the importance of developing strategies to use natural resources and to start tree-planting drives.