Guwahati: Founder of 'Porisoi,' Jesmine Kalita, is working to revive traditional weaving practices in Assam while promoting sustainable livelihoods for rural women. A social sector background has helped Jesmine turn her passion for community development into a successful enterprise impacting over 50 artisans and ten villages in Nalbari district.
In a recent interview with Business North East (BNE), Jesmine Kalita underlines the importance of bridging the gap between artisans and consumers and ensuring that weavers get fair wages.
"Our weavers now earn over Rs 70,000 annually, compared to Rs 2,000-3,000 earlier," Jesmine Kalita said during the BNE interview. By championing fair wages and cutting out intermediaries, the founder of Porisoi has elevated the annual income of weavers. This has brought financial independence to women, enabling them to educate their children, provide school supplies, and contribute to household stability.
However, the brand's impact goes beyond economic empowerment. The founder of Porisoi has collaborated with Daman, organizing menstrual hygiene awareness campaigns and flood relief camps for the weavers and people of villages.
"Porisoi is not just a business but a journey toward economic independence, village development, and community upliftment," she told BNE.
The business model of 'Porisoi' is well-crafted to ensure quality and standardization. Jesmine Kalita’s well-structured business model ensures quality and consistency by providing artisans with yarn while overseeing production standards. From marketing to sales, Jesmine Kalita uses social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook to promote her brand vision and drive 95 per cent of sales.
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Moreover, Jesmine Kalita revealed that she will soon launch an official website for Porisoi. She aims to expand 'Porisoi' beyond the B2C model to B2B. She envisions scaling the initiative to work with 100 weavers per district and gradually expanding into other districts of Assam. "A pilot project is already underway in a new district," she said.
"It's just about something more than weaving, it's making a platform for women to be and for traditions to thrive," she added while speaking to Akangkhita Mahanta of BNE.
About Jesmine Kalita and 'Porisoi'
After earning an MA in Sociology from Tezpur University in 2016, Jesmine Kalita worked with leading organizations like UNICEF and Save the Children, addressing grassroots issues across Assam. One of the most crucial points in her career came during the Teach for India (TFI) Fellowship in Bangalore when she was teaching deprived children. However, the COVID-19 lockdown made her return to her home town, where the seed for her organization budded. A pivotal moment in her career came during the Teach for India (TFI) Fellowship in Bangalore, where she taught underprivileged children. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns brought her back to her hometown, sparking the idea of creating her organization.
Being motivated by her husband, Jesmine Kalita started Porisoi in 2021 with just two weavers in her village. The brand has now expanded and works with more than 50 female artisans. Porisoi creates 100 per cent handwoven products like Gamosas and Mekhela Sadors with authenticity, fair pricing, and sustainability.
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