Vendors And Artists In Kerala Are Struggling To Survive, Help Them Stand On Their Feet

Onam, a harvest festival that falls in the months of August/September annually, is celebrated across India and the world, and is the main festival among Keralites. It is celebrated to honour the kind-hearted and much-beloved demon King Mahabali, who is believed to return to Kerala during this festival.  

Celebrated for over 10 days, Onam is also the time when hundreds of vendors, idol-makers, folk artists get a lot of business and are able to earn enough to feed their families. However, the pandemic has hit these people very hard and even Onam, this year, will not be celebrated with the same pomp and show as it is each year. There are multiple restrictions and business has been hit very badly.  

The small businesses are suffering  

“Onam means lots of flowers, new clothes, new decorations for our homes, idol makers making Onathappan, and the folk artists dancing to the beats of the music. It brings happiness and joy to all. But what festival would it be when the small businessmen wouldn’t be able to earn anything. Their families would not be able to enjoy like every other year? This thought has been plaguing us for a long time,” - Vrinda, Director, Dream Mirror.  

Dream Mirror, an NGO based out of Thrissur, Kerala; the cultural capital of the state was established in April 2018 under The Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies  Registration Act, 1955. The major areas of operation of this new-born organization lies in enriching the family system, which is the very primary unit of the society with special focus on children. 

They help enhance constructive relationships and communication among parents and children by creating awareness on positive parenting in the community. The Dream Mirror team decided to expand the focus area in more school based, especially government schools to meet the physical and psychosocial support of children from underprivileged communities. They have also helped 300 families of folk artists last year during the pandemic 

They now want to help the small business owners and the folk artists who have been affected by the pandemic. 

How you can help 

The price of seasonal flowers, which was around Rs.180 to Rs. 200 per kg last year, had dropped to Rs. 80 per kg this season. Onam sees a procession of over 500 Pullikalli artists - the pandemic has stopped all that. Dream Mirror wants to give these people grocery kits and other hygiene products so that they can feed their families who have been waiting for the festival for some extra income.  

Let us join hands to help Dream Mirrors help over 750 families in need during the auspicious occasion of Onam. 

About the NGO: Dream Mirror, an NGO based out of Thrissur, Kerala; the cultural capital of the state was established in April 2018 under The Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies  Registration Act, 1955. The major areas of operation of this new-born organization lies in enriching the family  system, which is the very primary unit of the society with special focus on children. They now want to help the small business owners and the folk artists who have been affected by the pandemic.