News from Bihar, where our beads come from

Looks like there are signs of improvement in Bihar, one of India's most impoverished states and the location of many of our bead producer groups.  Bihar has one of the lowest wage rates in the country and bead production is a big industry there.  The cool thing about the organization that makes our jewelry is that they ensure that even the beads themselves are ethically sourced.  They cut out the middle man and work directly with bead producers to pay them a livable wage that is often 3-5 times higher than the minimum wage in the area.  They also make sure that health and safety precautions are followed and no child labor is used.

So it is good news to hear that the economy is growing in the notoriously downtrodden state of Bihar.  The New York Times reports that the state's new leadership has focused on development and social programs while fighting corruption and crime.  Such efforts have led to impressive increases in the state's economic growth rate and school attendance.  The implications are positive: “If even Bihar can change, then anywhere in India can change,” said Shaibal Gupta of the Asian Development Research Institute. “With good governance, good policy and law and order anything is possible.”

Read the article here: Turnaround of India State Could Serve as a Model - NYTimes.com.