Lamprini provides women with sustainable livelihood

Nisha Singh knows exactly how to make a stranger feel comfortable at Lamprini, a Kolkata-based business organisation. She welcomes visitors with a warm smile and takes them through the products which the women of Lamprini make.

“Please put your details in the logbook for the record,” she says at the end.

Nisha is among the beneficiaries of Lamprini who were trained and nurtured by the business organisation, which helps women from economically backward families gain financial stability through a skill development programme.

Lamprini Bakery and Foods, which started at the end of 2023, trains women in baking. Kelly Dwyer is the founder and owner of the enterprise, which works as a hybrid model.

“Lamprini is a social enterprise as well as a training programme. Initially, we worked in collaboration with an NGO. But we launched Lamprini at the end of 2023,” said Dwyer.

Nisha was part of the first batch, and so were Ruma and Boisakhi. They shared their journey with Lamprini and how they found love and life through the programme.

Finding a life

Ruma Roy did not know about the hospitality business when she joined Lamprini. “I thought it was something to do with nursing training. But when I visited the office, I found out that the work was kitchen-related,” said the 29-year-old trainer at Lamprini.

Ruma got married at an early age. However, the relationship turned sour, and Ruma became a victim of domestic violence. She left her in-laws’ house and started living with her parents. It was not easy to sustain in a lower-middle-class family, but Ruma kept up the spirit.

Lamprini gave her a new lease of life. She enrolled for the training, and in a few months, mastered the art of baking. “I always wanted to bake cakes, for my birthday and for my relatives. It was really nice to learn that here. Now, I train others and also conduct sessions for trainers. I was in the first batch and saw Lamprini grow. So, I do not want to end my journey with this organisation,” Ruma told Sunday Monitor.

For Nisha, Lamprini was the light at the end of the dark tunnel. After a life of penury, she is finally independent. “My two sons often ask me to quit and stay with them. But I don’t want to do that. Lamprini has supported me at a time when no one was there. Besides baking, I learned to communicate. Earlier, I was too shy to speak to strangers. I am not only financially independent but also feel empowered as a woman,” said the 30-year-old marketing and salesperson with conviction.

Life can be a roller-coaster ride, and every slump can make one feel at the nadir. All one needs to get up and get going is perseverance and true friends. “And at Lamprini, I found the meaning of true friendship,” said Boisakhi.

The 26-year-old former teacher joined Lamprini in 2023. The lively young trainer is articulate and dedicated. When asked about her past life, she paused before sharing her struggles. She started earning at an early age. She has always been articulate, and teaching was a natural career choice. However, her talent and goodness were not enough for a better life, as she found betrayal “a normal way of life” in this world.

“When I came to Lamprini, I was surprised to see the camaraderie. Here, people don’t laugh at your weakness. Instead, they help you overcome it. I have made some great friends here and that has helped me get over all crises,” said Boisakhi as she looked at Ruma and Nisha.

Boisakhi is also a life skills trainer at Lamprini. She teaches trainees how to work together without malice and helps them develop work ethics.

Growing with Lamprini

The products, such as cakes, cookies and granola, are sold at the office of Lamprini. Buyers can also place orders on its social media page.

The team is currently busy with its new venture, a café that is coming up on the premises of the Lamprini office. “When I first came to Kolkata, I wanted to start a café that would be affordable. Now that I have a trained team, I thought it would be a great idea to finally start the café. This can be a source of sustainable livelihood for the women here,” observed Dwyer.

Lamprini is a Greek name that means radiant or the shining light. Through its training programme, the organisation is living up to its name and changing the lives of many like Ruma, Nisha and Boisakhi; and its team of confident and talented women is determined to change the narratives of their lives.

~ Team Sunday Monitor