Women from Kuiani village in Bodma block of East Singhbhum couldn’t contain their excitement when they learnt that their handmade products would now be used by foreign tourists.

LifeCraft — a Jamshedpur-based organisation that works with 17 women, many of them tribals, from Kuiani village to create hand-dyed tote bags, stoles, cushion covers and laptop bags —last month collaborated with Singapore-based Passport Perfect, a company that curates Indian holidays for international clients.

Passport Perfect has decided to gift LifeCraft products, comprising tote bags and bookmarks detailing their journey, to tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam and Singapore when they land in India.

“The collaboration will help the village women get more work. Passport Perfect got in touch with us about a year and a half ago and we had sent them some samples. We have already sent two consignments to Kochi. In fact, after we receive the order, we deliver the gifts to the cities where tourists land or in their hotel rooms. This shall also give us a readymade overseas clientele,” said founder of LifeCraft Sourabh Mahato.

A brainchild of Sourabh, LifeCraft was set up in 2015 to create sustainable livelihood opportunities in villages by providing an alternative source of income. While cotton stoles and fabrics for other products are completely hand made, bags and folders get final touches at a workshop in Jamshedpur. LifeCraft products are sold in outlets and cafes in Jamshedpur. Café Regal in Bistupur is one such joint. It also plans to sell its products online.

Women in Kuiani are extremely happy on getting such a global recognition. “Amader jinish bidesh jachhe. Er theke valo ar ki hote pare? (Our products are reaching foreign countries. Nothing can be better than this),” said Gurumani Baskey (28), a member of LifeCraft.

Sumitra Gopal from Passport Perfect said he was moved by the efforts of LifeCraft. “The founder of LifeCraft, Sourabh Mahato, could have had any other job but he chose to work for women empowerment. This further motivated me to get associated with them,” added Gopal.

In the 2017 movie Jab Harry Met Sejal, a cotton hand-dyed stole of LifeCraft was worn by Shah Rukh Khan in one of the scenes. The organisation had also sent an order of customised stoles to a group of students at University of Girona in Spain in 2015.

Lifecraft tote bags that will be distributed among foreign tourists. Telegraph picture