Sex workers in UP, India, weave new income from invasive plant
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In Siddharthnagar, Uttar Pradesh, India, designer Anurag Gupta is collaborating with around 200 to 300 sex workers to create crafts from water hyacinth.
Gupta, originally from the region, partnered with the Earthomadic Foundation to reach the women of Biskohar, an area with a long history of sex work. Initially, the women resisted Gupta’s offer to learn weaving, wary of being exploited for attention and funding as they had been in the past.
After ten months of discussion, they agreed to the project once Gupta secured a buyer for their first products. Water hyacinth, an invasive plant that harms waterways, provides the raw material. The plant’s stems can be processed into a fibre used to make items like bags, baskets, and packaging. Gupta hopes to establish a sustainable income stream for the women that allows them to work within their community, rather than requiring migration for employment.
He is developing a training program that will provide a stipend during the learning phase, and is seeking long-term sales channels through fashion, corporate gifting, and e-commerce. Gupta feels a personal connection to the project, drawing parallels between the overlooked status of the plant and the women themselves.
