Bookmaking Unit

Since 2004 Namaste started a co-operative Bookmaking Unit within its broad activities to help unemployed and less fortunate Vellanad women producing an income for their families and their deserving children. Total revenues are equally distributed among book-makers, with no expenses charged by Namaste Society.

Namaste gave one of its rooms for free and loaned some money to start the activity. Paper is normally bought from Trivandrum, capital city of Kerala and the nearest metro in the surroundings. Paper material needs then to be ruled by a supplier - always located in Trivandrum – before it can be stitched by Namaste workers.
Till now nine women are regularly working at the book manufacturing unit in a 4-room building (with plans to further enlarge it). They normally work 7-8 months in one year and peak manufacturing season is from April to June, as it is school holiday in Kerala and all bookmaking units are overloaded with orders to get ready before school starts again.

Selvarani helping book-makers to meet deadlines		One Namaste book-maker at work

It took some time to get the unit started up fully and smoothly and, after four years, orders finally increased in numbers and book-makers are now hardly able to cope with requests.

Namaste book-makers at work		Namaste book-makers at work.