When Knowledge Becomes Power

MarketPlace believes that even small opportunities can spark powerful ripple effects. What began as a way to provide income for women with few resources soon uncovered deeper hopes and priorities. Close relationships between the India-based staff and artisans reveal the challenges women face and lead to practical solutions.

One example is the Public Distribution System (PDS) a government program providing subsidized essentials like food grains to citizens. Once open to most people, it was restructured in 1997 to focus on the very poor.

Because of their work in the cooperatives, the women artisans are no longer among the poorest, yet they still qualify for some PDS benefits. Access isn't always easy—unscrupulous shopkeepers may limit supplies, use faulty scales, or compromise quality. Social Workers held meetings to equip the women with the knowledge and confidence to navigate the system and secure their fair share.

And the ripple continued—once the women secured their own supplies, they helped neighbors do the same.

The transformation of one woman spreads outward—to her children, her family, and eventually her community. This ripple effect is the heart of empowerment, and it is the story of the women artisans at MarketPlace.