There are three main focuses that run through all the projects that NGO Swechha initiates and these are: Environment, Enterprise and Education. This is where the Swechha Store as a social enterprise stemmed from. Revolving around the broad theme of environment the store is proving to be one of the most successful Swechha initiatives.
The store primarily uses waste materials and upcycles them to make products, hiring workers with minimal skills struggling with issues of urban poverty and urban unemployment. The idea is to provide them with a stable income and therefore better living standards. The Swechha Store continues to develop and grow as a project, and has already received a wide range of media coverage that can be accessed below:
Tribune India
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20131006/spectrum/main1.htm
‘Green the Gap initiative sees eco-fashionable products being made from discarded tyres, tetra packs, colour pencils, waste cloth, waste leather, wooden wedges and other wastes. Green the Gap aims to inspire youth to reuse waste and help in environment awareness.’
The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/features/homes-and-gardens/design/what-rubbish/article4836897.ece
‘They aren’t holding placards and marching or admonishing people for not recycling. Instead, they are at the helm of a quiet revolution that seeks to turn trash and otherwise harmful products into charming, witty and fun home décor products.’
Daily Mail
'Through reusing waste in innovative ways to create high quality, useful products, Green the Gap empowers consumers to make choices about their shopping habits.'
Live Mint
http://www.livemint.com/Leisure/Ls8wxLnnq3qxrORPWrzx7K/Rebirth--Art-in-a-junkyard.html
‘Green the Gap is backed by a workshop of 12-15 workers who give form to Jha’s designs, with some serious attention to standard and quality. “When you look at NGO-ish products, quality is always compromised. But for me it’s not okay if the stitching is coming off. That way you end up selling the cause more than the product,” says Jha.’
Outlook (India)
http://www.outlookindia.com/article/how-rags-are-really-riches/271245
For Vimlendu Jha, founder of ngo Swechha, upcycling has also been about one cause supporting another. He decided to start his upcycling project, Green the Gap, to generate funds for his Yamuna clean-up campaign.
The Hindu
http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/mending-the-gap/article4814413.ece
‘The organisation he founded and is the executive director of, moved into a compact new office in Malviya Nagar, fashioned entirely out of trash. A chandelier made of diet coke cans, a book shelf assembled out of vegetable cartons and a bike exhaust lamp are only some of the things that make a visitor marvel at the possibilities of waste.’
iDiva
http://idiva.com/news-style-beauty/how-to-be-an-ecofriendly-fashionista/13148
‘The Delhi based NGO “Swechha” neither uses organic cotton nor bamboo but transforms left over fabrics and disposed materials like tyre tubes from waste to innovative and unique products with every bag, pencil case or purse turning out slightly different.’
Little Black Book:
https://littleblackbookdelhi.com/let-there-be-light-products-to-make-diwali-count-ngos-delhi/
‘For Diwali, they’re doing a fabulous line of candles, think up cycled Corona Bottle candles, Johnny Walker candles and reused bottle hanging lamps.’