The story of Salma and her toy factory that provides employment to many families in a small Indian city.

1. Salma &
The Toy Factory

2. Noor Salma was born in a small village of
Channapatna in South Karnataka, India.

3. Salma grew up seeing the beautiful Channapatna
wooden toys being made in most houses and lovingly
painted in vibrant colours.

4. Channapatna toys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Channapatna toys are a particular form of wooden toys (and
dolls) that are manufactured in the town of Channapatna in
the Bangalore Rural district of Karnataka state, India.
- This traditional craft is protected as a geographical
indication under the World Trade Organization, administered
by the Government of Karnataka.
- As a result of the popularity of these toys, Channapatna is
known as Gombegala Ooru (toy-town) of Karnataka.
- Traditionally, the work involved lacquering the wood of the
Wrightia tinctoria tree, colloquially called Aale mara (ivory-
wood).

5. Channapatna toys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The origin of these toys can be traced to the reign of Tipu
Sultan who invited artisans from Persia to train the local
artisans in the making of wooden toys.For nearly two
centuries, ivory-wood was the main wood used in the making
of these toys, though rosewood and sandalwood were also
occasionally used.
As of Oct 2006, more than 6,000 people in Channapatna,
working in 254 home manufacturing units and 50 small factories,
were engaged in the making of these toys. The Karnataka
Handicrafts Development Corporation (KHDC) provides assistance
with marketing efforts.

6. As Salma grew older her love for the toys became a
passion. So after school she would often run off to
work in one of the units close by and learn the art of
toy making.
Much to her orthodox Muslim parents dismay
she wanted to become a toy maker!
Photo http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Wooden_toys.JPG

7. Salma was soon married off at the tender age of 15 -
all was not lost - her father in law was a traditional
toy maker though the small Lethe had been lying
vacant since several years with little work.

8. The Start
Salma seeing this as an opportunity
soon began this unit and got some toy
makers and gave this little toy making
unit life again.
With her husbands support she began
marketing her toys and gathering some
momentum in her village and around.
She managed to generate enough work
to distribute it to the nearby toy
making units.

9. N.S. Toys
Today, after 18 years of
dedication and hard work Salma
works with 13 SHG'S. The
company has been registered as
N.S. Toys. There are about 72
women involved who get regular
orders to develop a fascinating
array of toys. She drives around
on her bike in a radius of 10- 15
k.m where these groups work
independently giving work and
ensuring timely collection.

10. N.S. Toys
Salma collects the toys in the
warehouse in her home where
stringent quality checks are done
and then packed to different
clients across India. Small bank
loans have made it possible to
give regular wages to each of the
women involved.
Depleting work force and no
government support is forcing
them to now invest in training as
well.

11. How can you help.....

12. How can you help.....
The need to better their lives,
send children to school, get
medical facilities is still a desire
that Salma and her group long
for.
Today the aspiration
and determination in
Salma's eyes is to be able to better
her work and market the goods
to sustain the 13 groups of
women.

13. You can help!
Buy a Product
Salma
needs your Volunteer your
services
support and
contribution
Adopt a project
Adopt a family
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