From village to festive markets: Greater Noida women’s groups make their own Diwali goods

Rural women in self-help groups across Gautam Budh Nagar district are tapping the Deepavali market by making festive goods by hand, including candles, earthen diyas and decorative items, and selling them in the district’s markets.

For many of the women, festival sales are their biggest earnings of the year, and the money goes into household budgets and children’s schooling. Self-help groups, usually of 10 to 20 women, pool savings, take small bank loans and buy materials together; the National Rural Livelihoods Mission supports them with training and access to credit.

Handmade diyas and decorations also offer buyers an alternative to imported plastic goods, which local officials have been encouraging people to avoid.