When Welspun was looking for a location for its sophisticated manufacturing plant, the company chose Anjar near Bhuj (Gujarat, India) where the earthquake of January 26, 2001 had left its devastating mark. The village was razed to rubble and most of the families had lost their chief wage earners, often the menfolk, in this patriarchal society. As part of rehabilitation and social regeneration, Welspun looked to the women to be agents of change.

So, SPUN works on two levels. One, it empowers women by taking their native skills in embroidery and giving them avenues to express themselves. Two, it revives the dying arts of the region, preserves rich traditions and takes them to the world. It is a narrative of economic self-empowerment.

Also, going a few steps ahead SPUN realised that social restrictions prevented women from stepping out too far away from their community. Vocational Centres have therefore been set up close to where they are – taking the opportunity right to their doorstep and allowing them to take the threads of their futures into their own hands. The task was to showcase their story of self-confidence, self-respect and self-sufficiency and take their products to the world.

The website was first launched to an international audience on a dot org platform. The backdrop and context were set up and the Ecommerce shaped on the back of it.

Launched in season, the SPUNDANA (meaning motivation and positive vibrations) trail already has international bloggers organically promoting the cause of genuine women empowerment. The international partners of the company – among the Top 50 Retailers in the world - will also be taking this curated trail to experience the social transformation as part of their commitment towards ethical and responsible sourcing.

Pop-up stalls help propagate the story offline. Social media has been leveraged with videos on YouTube and posts and pictorial storytelling on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and Instagram.

A compendium of the entire initiative has been published as book entitled She is Life – the book was officially launched by the Chief Minister of Gujarat India, Smt Anandiben Patel.

It is early days but the Ecommerce has begun with the one-of-a-kind range of cushions created in various art forms. New product lines are in the making. The back story has helped create awareness for the initiative and the gateway now handles and inventory of 8890 products created by 89 women. The Spundana trail, a niche 3-day trail that winds its way through Kutch, has already started with trails happening in the first season when the desert turns white. The second season will commence in October. Response to the pop-up stalls has been extremely encouraging with people engaging with the women and the products. The coffee table book has gained traction among noted opinion leaders and in the press.

The central piece of the communication was the website. The various narative and navigational threads form the warp and weft of the site and speak of the fabric of Kutch. E-commerce is enabled across India and the world, with each product giving buyers a back story on who has created it, what art she has used and how the purchase impacts her daily existence.

The campaign was launched in a very differently with a 3-day niche trail. The Spundana trail covers a journey through the pristine deserts of the White Rann (sometimes on camel back), a rich experience of panning salt, enjoying local cuisine, music and dance, a visit to Indus Valley civilisation ruins, the ghost town and bird sanctuary - and an unhurried visit to the Vocational Centres as part of a craft tourism exercise. And finally when visitors bought Spun products as souvenirs, they directly impacted lives.

The Welspun Group entrusted us with their women empowerment initiative that was set in the aftermath of a horrific natural calamity. The task was complex because it had to deal with social sensitivities on many levels. One, the trauma of the earthquake of 2001. Two, the loss of wage earners and homes. Three, the social norms that prevented women from stepping out of their community. Yet, they needed to now become financially self-sufficient and indeed be the bread winner for their families.

The objective was threefold. Identify and leverage the skills of the womenfolk – and enable them to sell their products. Revive the sense of hope and optimism by showing them how they can look forward with help from Welspun. And take the products online and to the whole world by showcasing the powerful back story and help create a market.

In short, we were not selling mere products but were building the powerful narrative of unsung women whose gritty existence needed to be acknowledged and applauded.