Products made from golden grass on display. Telegraph photo

Jajpur, July 28: Had it not been for the golden grass craft movement, Sabitri Senapati might still have been struggling to make both ends meet.

When Sabitri got married and came to live with her in-laws in Antia village in Jajpur district, about four decades ago, all she had to look forward to was poverty.

As Sabitri was an illiterate young woman, her in-laws never encouraged her to earn independently nor did she ever think of it. Paddy, the lone crop which her husband reaped in the small ancestral field, was only enough to sustain the family for about four months. He had to subsequently work as a daily labourer for the rest of the year .

Thankfully for Sabitri, the golden grass (locally known as kaincha) movement was launched in her village.

After receiving adequate help from the golden grass craft movement, Sabitri learned how to make various products, ranging from household items to beautiful accessories, from the golden grass. As an active member of the movement, the 60-year-old woman now earns a comfortable living by crafting exquisite handicraft items from the golden grass.

“It feels great to be engaged, self reliant and earn a substantial living,” says Sabitri. Today, she helps other women become self-reliant.

The tale of Hemalata Pradhan of Kamagarh village is the similar. Hemalata never let her disability hamper her dreams. Afflicted with polio in her right leg at an early age, she has struggled hard to reach where she now is.

The power of Hemlata’s motivation enabled her to get associated with the golden grass craft movement.

She was provided with training on how to make various products from golden grass from the village craft movement. Today, Hemalata is not only a skilled artisan but also a master trainer of the craft.

Not only Sabitri and Hemalata, but more than 5,000 women from Antia, Kamagarh, Betamali, Bhatipur, Pacchakund, Khalar, Srichandanpur and nearby villages of three gram panchayats are engaged in the movement.

The women who have benefited from the movement owe their economic independence to the 82-year-old Pranakrushna Mohanty, who is the brain behind the golden grass movement in the area.

“I realised that women in these villages were illiterate and not employed. They didn’t even go out on their own due to society norms. That is when I decided to teach them how to make items from golden grass,” says Mohanty. The products, prepared from golden grass, is not just sold locally. They are available across the country. The articles are also being exported.