Mon Ami Foundation - Blogs #contemporary designsMon Ami Foundation - Blogs #contemporary designshttps://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/tag/contemporary-designsWed, 08 Apr 2026 08:31:01 +0530http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[Last Mile Impact and Collaboration]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/last-mile-impact-and-collaborationTrue last mile impact isn't found in spreadsheets, but in behavioral change and community agency. Beyond reaching numbers, it’s about nurturing local champions who inspire a ripple effect of long-term transformation.]]>
Mile Impact and Collaboration

When we talk about impact assessment, the conversation often stops at numbers—beneficiaries reached, income generated, or funds disbursed. These metrics, usually compiled by third-party agencies, satisfy regulatory requirements but rarely capture the deeper story. True last mile impact is not about ticking boxes; it is about long-term transformation in habits, aspirations, and community resilience.


Consider hygiene practices, food choices, education, or even gender sensitivity. These are not easily quantified, yet they define whether an intervention has genuinely shifted the trajectory of a community. Unfortunately, field staff conducting assessments often lack emotional investment. Their reports emphasize scale over depth: 1,000 people earning ₹1,000 each is rated higher than 50 individuals consistently earning ₹10,000. But which scenario truly breaks cycles of poverty?


Real change happens when projects create role models—individuals who embody possibility and inspire others. Numbers alone cannot measure hope, dignity, or the courage to challenge entrenched norms. Communities need aspirational frameworks, not handouts. They must see that escaping poverty is possible but also recognize that the responsibility lies with them to take charge of their own progress.


At Mon Ami Foundation, our Red Earth Model is built on this philosophy. We nurture community resource persons who act as catalysts, encouraging peers to adopt new practices and envision brighter futures. For us, impact is not an entry in an Excel sheet—it is the ripple effect of one person’s transformation inspiring many others.


Collaboration, therefore, must go beyond compliance-driven assessments. It requires empathy, storytelling, and a commitment to measuring what truly matters: sustained behavioural change, strengthened social fabric, and the emergence of local champions. That is the essence of last mile impact—where numbers fade but hope and agency endure.                                                                                                                                

]]>Fri, 20 Mar 2026 11:40:12 +0530<![CDATA[Internships in Social Organizations: Building Empathy and Perspective]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/internships-in-social-organizations-building-empathy-and-perspectiveInternships in social organizations nurture empathy, cultural sensitivity, and problem‑solving in students while offering enterprises youthful innovation, bridging gaps, and strengthening artisan communities through sustainable, impactful collaboration.]]>
Internships in Social Organizations

Internships are often seen as stepping stones into corporate careers, but their role in social organizations is equally vital. College students should be encouraged to spend at least 4–6 weeks interning with social enterprises. This experience not only broadens their understanding of the sector but also nurtures empathy—an essential quality for future leaders.

For students, such internships provide exposure to grassroots realities. They learn how social enterprises tackle challenges like sustainability, livelihood creation, and community empowerment. Unlike classroom lessons, these experiences are immersive, teaching adaptability, problem‑solving, and cultural sensitivity. Students return with a deeper appreciation of social impact and a stronger sense of responsibility toward society.

For the enterprises, the benefits are equally significant. Many social organizations operate with limited resources and cannot afford to hire young graduates full‑time. Interns bring fresh perspectives, digital skills, and innovative ideas that help bridge generational and demographic gaps. Their energy and curiosity often spark creative solutions, while their presence strengthens the organization’s connection to younger audiences.

At CraftsAQ, we have been actively encouraging such internships. By connecting students with artisans supported by the Mon Ami Foundation, we create opportunities for them to witness firsthand the resilience, creativity, and individuality of craft communities. This exposure not only enriches students’ learning but also deepens their empathy for artisans whose livelihoods depend on sustainable growth and fair opportunities. It is a powerful way to blend youthful innovation with traditional wisdom.

Educational institutions play a pivotal role in making this connection possible. By integrating social internships into academic programs, colleges can encourage students to step outside conventional career paths. When universities champion these initiatives, they create a culture where social responsibility is valued alongside academic excellence.

In essence, internships in social organizations foster a symbiotic relationship—students gain empathy and practical insights, while enterprises benefit from youthful innovation.

]]>Fri, 27 Feb 2026 11:27:24 +0530<![CDATA[Why Should All the Turtles Look the Same?]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/why-should-all-the-turtles-look-the-sameWhy Should All the Turtles Look the Same? In our CraftHub, this question sparks endless debate:  why should all the turtles look the same?  As ]]>
Turtle
Why Should All the Turtles Look the Same?

In our CraftHub, this question sparks endless debate: why should all the turtles look the same? As we build capacity and train artisans to produce multiple units of the same product, we aim for a remarkable 95% likeness across dozens of pieces. It’s a demanding standard, especially when multiple artisans are racing against deadlines. Even when the design criteria are met, subtle differences emerge—tiny variations in curve, finish, or detail.


Our buyers, though supportive of artisan work, often come from a background of purchasing bulk, machine-made imports from neighbouring countries. They are accustomed to absolute uniformity: rows of identical products, each indistinguishable from the next. Against that backdrop, our handcrafted pieces sometimes feel “different.” And so begins the delightful conversation: why should they all look the same?


Machines excel at replication. They erase individuality in favour of efficiency. But handmade products carry the imprint of the human hand—the rhythm of the artisan’s skill, the nuance of their touch, the story of their craft. Each piece is not just an object; it is a signature. When we pause from machine-made perfection, we discover beauty in individuality. The slight differences are not flaws; they are proof of authenticity.


Uniformity has its place in mass production. But in artisan work, sameness risks stripping away the very soul of the craft. Buyers who embrace individuality are not just purchasing a product; they are investing in heritage, creativity, and human connection. Each turtle, while similar, carries its own personality. And isn’t that worth celebrating?


So, the next time someone asks why all the turtles don’t look the same, perhaps the better question is: why would we want them to?

]]>Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:59:02 +0530<![CDATA[Design Thinking to Interpret Crochet]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/future-of-handicraft-the-opportunity1

Design Thinking to Interpret Crochet

Crochet, the seemingly effortless counting and repeating of a basic stitch, to create lace-like, intricate products, has captured the imagination of crafters through the ages. However, as craftspeople have followed the same system of product development for years, designs have gradually become redundant, and could spell doom for the future of this craft.

To remain relevant in a marketplace teeming with myriad choices, it is imperative that crochet crafts evolve, incorporating contemporary updates. This is where Anurag Rana, an NID graduate and founder of Mon Ami Foundation, brings in her vast skills and experience as a designer.

Anurags creativity and vision have come together to create unique products, using design as a problem-solving tool. Employing the principles of design thinking, viz. Empathise (understanding user needs),Define (state the problem), Ideate (create ideas), Prototype (create solutions) and Test (try the solutions), Mon Ami Foundation has an innovative line of crochet products. https://www.facebook.com/crochethubindia

Where else could you find a crocheted spider key chain? A fish as a fridge magnet? Or an owl with perfectly aligned eyes to sit on your coffee table?

The Mon Ami Design team, with Anurag at the helm, ensure that all their products have these qualities:
  • Utility value: every feature of the product serves a purpose, so as to maximise the user experience.
  • Functionality – all products are user-friendly. For instance, initially, crochet used wool, feasible for use only in small pockets of India, for a mere 1-2 months annually. A conscious shift was made to crocheting with cotton yarn usable through the year.
  • Aesthetic appeal the look and feel of a product are central to its appeal. Simplicity and elegance go hand-in-hand.
  • Attention to detail All the little things matter. What colour combinations should toys be? How will these colours further stimulate the minds of little children? Are the eyes of the toy aligned?
  • Longevity of design good design is timeless.
Committed to setting up the largest Crochet movement in the country, through extensive skill building efforts, Mon Ami Foundation, in partnership with HCL Foundations Craft Hub, creates new products for the domestic and international markets, keeping the tastes and preferences of customers in mind.

To learn more, visit https://monamifoundation.com/crochet/
]]>Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:05:59 +0530<![CDATA[Estimating the Economic Impact of interventions Utkarsh Majmudar]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/future-of-handicraft-the-opportunity2
Estimating the Economic Impact of interventions - Utkarsh Majmudar

Mon Ami undertakes craft related projects that result in proved livelihood for its for its beneficiaries. Companies fund project and part of the funds are used for administration, training, and other purposes. A part of the fund is used to produce craft items which when sold generate both revenue and working capital for the beneficiaries. Once the beneficiaries are trained, they can further train other people to improve their livelihoods.
So, how do we evaluate the outcome of this project? A simple way would be to think in terms of profits earned by the beneficiaries in the future. In a generic sense we can think of the life project as the number of years till which the beneficiaries stabilize. In this example we take it as three years. We assume that the project increases the income of the beneficiaries to 50,000 rupees per beneficiary. We also assume that each beneficiary will train 2 more beneficiaries each year. For this example, the costs associated with production are taken to be 0 but depending on the project there may be material, selling and other costs. Let us also assume that the economic cost of money is 6%, the rate that the beneficiaries can earn on bank deposits. We thus calculate the economic impact of the project:



While it is simplistic to simply add up the net income of the beneficiaries and take that as the total benefit of the project, the correct approach is to find the present value of the benefits:


Thus, the economic benefit of the project is 1.82 crores.



The same approach may be useful while approaching a company to grant money for the project. Suppose a company commits to provides 20 lakhs for the project, the effective economic benefit of the project from the
Providing a clear economic rationale for going ahead with this project. Alternatively, this can be seen as a straight return on investment number (ROI)





Utkarsh Majmudar

Author of Shift: Decisions for a Net Zero World Finance educator trainer and consultant, Bengaluru
A multidimensional professional with nearly two decades of experience encompassing academics and administration at premier business schools in India and working with large corporations in India at GE Capital, iGATE and HSBC. His work ranges across managing people and processes, training and hiring.
Apart from strong training capability he brings adept managerial competence, excellent communication and people skills, ability to interface with people at all levels, managing cross nation relationships and an ability work across varied domains.
He also contributes to a regular column for Economic Times and occasionally to CSRwire on CSR and sustainability issues.
]]>Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:05:59 +0530<![CDATA[Future of Handicraft: The Opportunity]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/future-of-handicraft-the-opportunity

Future of Handicraft: The Opportunity

The Global Handicraft market is on a fast track. The market stood at a value of USD 704.7 billion in 2022. Interestingly, the Global Computer Hardware market is similar sized. Something, that is tracked and chased by lot of my friends.

The handcrafts market is completely fragmented, unlike the hardware market, where there are several large players like Dell and HP

The handicrafts market is projected to witness a CAGR of 11.8% over the forecast period of 2023-2028. It is expected to reach USD 1376.12 billion by 2028.( Data as per EMR report. here is a report of similar numbers by IMARC.)

Of the top 8 handicraft manufacturers, none of them hit a revenue of $1B or even close to it.

There is a huge opportunity to address this market. The consumers are becoming more aware of supporting the local artisans and making more conscious choices to use handcrafted.

In India we have been supporting our Artisans since time immemorial. Now with the newfound confidence and desire to lead global initiatives, we have the Opportunity of a lifetime.

We need to focus on the following areas for large scale intervention:

  1. Contemporary Designs
  2. Capacity Building
  3. Market Linkages

There is no reason why we can’t have $10B-$20B revenue company from India that focuses on sustainable handicraft products for domestic and overseas markets.

With the right investments, the Future of Handicraft is joined in the hip to the Future of a sustainable planet.

]]>Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:05:59 +0530<![CDATA[The Crochet Movement: Weaving threads of continuity, to empower women]]>https://www.monamifoundation.com/blogs/post/the-crochet-movement-weaving-threads-of-continuity-to-empower-women

The Crochet Movement: Weaving threads of continuity, to empower women

It gives me great pride to pay my college fees with my own earnings, gushes one of the participants, aged 20, poring over the intricate design she creates with the crochet needle in her hand

India is built on a culture of craft and weaving, as is evident by the archaeological discovery of a small shred of cotton cloth stuck to a pottery shard dated back to the Harappa and Mohenjo-daro settlements of 2600 BC. Women in particular are intrinsically linked to heritage arts and crafts.

These knowledge systems of weaving and creation, are interconnected, as they have been passed down from one generation to the next, to ensure continuity between communities and their ecosystems. When Mon Ami Foundation began work with migrant women in the NCR region, this intrinsic crafting know-how allowed for ease of training. Inherent dexterity, aesthetic acumen, fluidity of movement and innate skills ensure that these women learn crochet with minimum effort to create contemporary designs, under the guidance of our trainers.

The team at Mon Ami Foundation conducts face-to-face classes daily, where women are skilled, reskilled and upskilled to learn new stiches, finishing techniques and patterns. Today, with the onset of the pandemic, our training sessions have continued remotely via technology. These group training sessions create lasting bonds between women who have been displaced from their homes, giving them a sense of community. Often, little girls who accompany their mothers, show a keen interest in the art and pick up the skill alongside. Going forward, Mon Ami is looking to set up "Train the Trainer Programs" to broaden the scope on the number of women they can impact

Women play a crucial role in the growth of any economy, and hence, it is essential to promote skill development to provide high productivity, increased employment opportunities and higher income. We can realise Goal # 5 of the Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, that of gender equality, by harnessing the power of women as key agents to achieve socio-economic transformation. Recognizing this, Mon Ami Foundation, in partnership with HCL Foundations Craft Hub, has embarked on setting up the largest Crochet movement in the country.

To become a market linkage partner or to commission direct projects, do connect: contact@monamifoundation.com
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