Noah's Ark

Noah’s Ark works with artisans in the local community throughout northern India creating beautiful, environmentally, and ethically friendly products.

Noah’s Ark, aims to give identity to grass root artisans around Northern India so that the beautiful work of making handicrafts can continue to flourish. They work with artisans in the local community enabling them to make their products available throughout the world in a fair trade and ethical manner.

Noah’s Ark work with more than 100 artisan groups involving more than 600 people and throughout Northern India. They place a high priority on maintaining the quality of each item, pay fair wages and as well as maintaining excellent working conditions. They encourage training and regularly run workshops to enable the artisans to continue to improve their skills. Other areas of great importance to them include being environmentally friendly, giving children of the artisans access to free education, and good health services, enabling each person to work their way out of poverty, and have a more financially secure future.

It was early, and the day still cool as people prepared for Indian National Day, a day of great pride celebrated throughout India. In far north India, everything was going to plan, there was peace, and everything was as it should be. The crowded metropolis’s had nothing to fear, from people, or natural disasters. This, however, was a day where everything would change for them, when soon before 9am the land began to ripple violently, and massive devastation and death followed quickly in its wake as the second largest earthquake ever in Indian history would rock vast distances of land, devastating whole provinces, leaving death and destruction in its wake as it ate up the land. Several years has passed now, and while much has been rebuilt, and reinforced against potential further earthquakes in this ‘safe’ area, many had to leave just to survive this life changing event, that took all of 3 minutes to wreck its devastation.

As a result of the devastation and need for survival, Praveen moved with his family to Delhi in hopes of a better life, and a chance for him and his family’s survival. Praveen was able to find a house, and allocate space to enable him to work for Noah's Ark in a clean bright environment, enabling him and his team to lovingly embroider saris together into beautiful wall hangings, cushions and bags. Through amazing connections these products have found their way around the world, and will brighten up shops and homes in places beyond Praveen’s wildest expectations.

Turning to Bihar, where the population has nearly reached 83 million people, well over half being under 25 years old, few opportunities present themselves to survive, let alone provide the basics of life to your family. Providing for the future is important too, and the need for a dowry for one’s daughter, or sister to enable them to marry is often unattainable.

Ishaq was a farm worker with little hope for improvement, or the hope to see his family survive and flourish in this rapidly advancing community. He came in contact with Noah's Ark, and 5 years on, has learned wonderful new skills, and establishes a business working with 6 fellow teammates, who were also farm workers. Their lives have wonderfully improved to the point of being able to have a home of their own, and support their families. They thrive, working in good, bright working conditions, knowing that they and their family’s are treated with value and respect, and that their work is worthy of receiving a good wage. These have enabled wonderful new opportunities to open up to them, that otherwise would have been unheard of.

Noah’s Ark is a fair trade certified organization based in Northern India. They work with grassroots artisans, giving them the opportunity to continue the beautiful work of making handicrafts using traditional Indian techniques. Each artisan is supported, and paid fair wages, enabling their work to flourish, and the skills to be passed on to future generations.

As requests for the goods they produce become more regular, they will be able to support and train others, and, where people saw the ripple and devastation of the earthquake, through the work of Noah's Ark, the will see an equally powerful ripple as people help and support each other, bringing hope, value, and respect to the people who are part of Noah's Ark, and beyond as their work spreads throughout the community and beyond.

We stand together in support of people, who far away are changed by the impact we make, by purchasing their products. Thank you for standing in the gap for people such as Ishaq, Praveen, and so many others, in India, and beyond.

Alex's Story

Alex became responsible for his younger 2 brothers, and 2 sisters when his parents died when he was 18. He started working with his uncle who was working with Noah’s Ark. As his skills developed, he was able to work independently for Noah’s Ark, and able to support his family and arrange for marriages for his sisters.

Alex was encouraged to do some manufacturing work from my home and has since been able to get married. Alex is now able to work with 7 others on a regular basis producing lanterns, lamps and other color, and lacquer work for Noah’s Ark and his work continues to grow and develop.

Alan's Story

Alan has been working with Noah’s for the last 6 years and is one the main artisan of glass bead jewellery. He lives 90 kilometers from Moradabad. He has the privilege of working with a team of women making jewelry. According to him “working with Noah’s Ark gave him freedom to provide better wages to his artisans who are now able to support their children education & celebrate their festivals with happiness.” In the last six years his turnover increased substantially and as a result, his work continues to grow and he is able to give others the opportunity to work.

All names have been changed to protect their identity.