Beyond products — the work that holds the community together.
When the pandemic hit rural Maharashtra in 2020, the women of De'haat moved from making newspaper pens to producing thousands of cloth masks for their village and the surrounding district.
Within weeks of the first lockdown, our artisans pivoted production lines to manufacture single-layer, double-layer, and filter-based washable masks. A portion was sold to corporate partners as part of their employee safety kits; the rest was distributed free of cost to local schools, the village panchayat, and frontline health workers in Pauni and surrounding hamlets.
The same crisis that grounded most rural economies became, for our women, an opportunity to demonstrate exactly what De'haat was built to be — a parallel industry that responds to the village's needs, made by the village itself.
De'haat works with corporate, institutional, and individual partners who share our belief that the path to rural empowerment is paid work, not aid.
Our partners place bulk orders for handcrafted products that are then gifted at their internal events, distributed to clients, or used as part of their CSR initiatives. The model is simple — every newspaper pen, embroidered mask, or Stand4Safety stick they buy directly funds a woman's monthly income in Pauni.
Skill-building is the engine of De'haat. Every new artisan starts with a structured training programme before earning her first independent income.
Our training is hands-on, peer-led, and free of cost to participants. Experienced women teach new joiners — turning the workshop into a self-sustaining school of craft. This is why our model scales without formal external funding.
A 2-week practical course in rolling, fitting, and finishing. By week 3, trainees produce their first sellable batch.
Sewing-machine handling, fabric cutting, and quality control. Includes hygiene and packaging protocols for export-grade output.
Traditional craft skills passed down by senior artisans. These are our highest-margin products and the path to top earnings.
De'haat conducts mobile workshops in adjacent villages so that women who cannot travel to Pauni daily can still join the network. These satellite workshops are run by senior De'haat artisans and have helped extend the income opportunity to 5+ surrounding villages.
Social Events
De'haat is not only an industry — it is a community. We celebrate milestones, festivals, and recognition together.
From hosting annual Women's Day gatherings to participating in regional craft exhibitions, our events bring together the women, their families, partner organisations, and visitors who want to see rural India working for itself.
International Women's Day
Every March 8th, the entire De'haat workshop gathers in Pauni. New artisans are inducted, top earners are recognised, and the women's families are invited to see the work first-hand.
Craft fairs and exhibitions
De'haat products have been displayed at regional craft melas and corporate sustainability fairs across Maharashtra — putting village handicraft directly in front of urban customers.
Acknowledgement from public figures
The work has been acknowledged by Ex. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and supported by celebrity fundraisers including Nana Patekar's initiative for Maharashtra farmers.
Festivals at the village
Diwali, Makar Sankranti, and local festivals are celebrated collectively at the workshop with shared meals, performances by the artisans' children, and gift exchanges using De'haat products.