Disclaimer : This blog article was created as part of a fundraising campaign for urgently needed emergency aid. We were able to complete the campaign very successfully and provide the necessary emergency aid.

#WEARERESPONSIBLE

The current weather forecast for Londa, a small town in South India and location of one of our two partner organizations, is: persistent rain, strong winds and no improvement in sight.

This is not an unusual situation for the monsoon months. However, the extent of this year's rainy season is anything but normal and the effects are fatal. Water is dripping into the sewing workshop of our partner organization Neva Chetana Kendra through damaged areas in the roof. The ongoing strain has led to cracks in the main building of the NGO. There is great fear of collapse. The houses of two of our team members have collapsed; they are currently staying with relatives.

The situation is completely different in Chittapur, our second production site. Instead of heavy monsoon rains, the region is suffering from the worst drought in over 50 years. Drinking water is becoming scarce, many villages are deserted, and farmers are forced to sell their land and flee to the cities due to a lack of irrigation options. This is not a sustainable solution - scientists assume that by 2020 - next year - the groundwater in 21 Indian cities, including metropolises such as Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, will be used up. Worse still, by 2030, 40% of the Indian population will no longer have access to drinking water.

Two regions, two threats that could not be more different, but can clearly be attributed to climate change. Climate emergency is no longer an abstract concept here, but a reality. What feels far away and surreal is very close to us - our production is significantly affected. Not only has the sewing workshop in Londa had to close temporarily, but many weaving mills are currently unable to deliver because they are simply unable to produce due to flooding or a lack of water. Inevitably, we are faced with the question of responsibility - as a small, fair label, we are certainly not the cause of these circumstances, but we are part of a production network and an industry that has the world's largest ecological footprint after the oil industry.

A quick look at cotton production speaks volumes. Around 25 million tons of cotton fibers are produced every year, and a single kilogram consumes 22,000 - 25,000 liters of water. Just for the needs of the German market, that's around 5,464 million m³ annually. Not only is water consumption enormous, the use of pesticides in conventional textile production also has a significant impact on the environment and thus the climate. Added to this are artificial fibers, chemical substances and microplastics that enter the cycle through textile production and our excessive consumption.

Our aim at Jyoti – Fair Works is to take a more sustainable path; we rely on organic cotton, alternative, natural fibres and the smallest possible footprint along our entire value chain.
But the current situation proves that this is no longer enough.
Small brands like us cannot remain a niche. We must drastically adapt our consumption habits and demand responsible behavior from all players.

We need drastic changes. The effects of climate change are already clearly felt and the livelihoods of our Indian team members are under threat.

In order to repair the most urgent damage to the houses of our team members Shoba and Pooja and to prevent the workshop of our partner organization from collapsing, 4400 euros are needed. Broken down, this means:

1. 800 euros – to repair the roof of Shoba’s house
2. 1,050 euros – to rebuild the exterior walls and roof of Pooja’s house
3. 2550 Euro – to stabilize the walls of the central building of our partner NGO and to re-roof the building

We would like to thank you very much in advance for your support. Of course, we can issue donation receipts and guarantee that 100% of the donations will reach Londa via our non-profit organization, Jyoti eV.