Crochet Dolls Collaboration for the Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School Project

In the rural Thar Desert of Jaisalmer, girls face severe obstacles to education due to social, economic, and geographic disadvantages. Despite these challenges, education is crucial for their economic freedom and autonomy, countering harmful practices like female infanticide and child marriage. The Rajkumari Ratnavati Girls School, located in one of the most rural sectors of India, provides education to girls below the poverty line, offering classrooms, a library, a computer center, bus transportation, and mid-day meals. The school is a safe space for young girls to learn to read, write, and develop traditional skills.

Aatmiya’s contribution to this project was by partnering with our parent organization https://citta.org/gyaancenter/ to create a custom line of hand-knitted dolls for their major fundraiser event. The dolls were intricately crafted by women artisans in Nepal and meant to resemble the young students and took around five to six hours to crochet. The dresses worn by the dolls are a replication of the young school girls actual uniforms, and were designed by the renowned couture fashion designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee from Kolkata, India. These dolls were given as mementos to all donors and gala attendees. These dolls symbolize cross-border collaboration and promote women's empowerment, education, and preservation of cultural practices and traditions.  

Aatmiya at the MET

The largest Museum in the United States, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, has served as a showcase of culture and beauty from around the world since 1872. The Met supports a wide array of mediums of art, emphasizing the diversity of human creativity and ingenuity.

We believe that art encompasses craftsmanship and artisan works. The detail and skill required of an excellent artisan is reflected by the beauty of their product. The women that Aatmiya employ and empower are artists in our eyes. They strive to hand knit and crochet masterpieces from start to finish.

Aatmiya is proud to announce that our handmade products, or works of art, are now being carried in The Met Store. This product line depicts famous, world-renown artists like Van Gogh, while showcasing the tradition and beauty of hand-crafted Nepalese goods. Your purchase of these goods support the living wages of the women who craft them and in turn, allow them to continue bringing art into the world while perfecting their craft.