The Dhobis are one of the groups that have been seriously affected due to the outbreak of the pandemic, where they are struggling to earn for their living, as people are concerned about giving their clothes for ironing because of hygiene and safety reasons and as the cases increased, more measures were instructed to be followed which have greatly affected the lives of dhobis.
A report states that in India, there are almost 4,00,000 Dhobis and out of which 56% of them are running their business in Urban India, and as people are now focused on hygiene and safety issues due to the pandemic, it is reported that the majority of the dhobis find it difficult to make a living.
Philips has recognized this problem and has introduced a Dhobi empowerment program and which is named as “Hausla Program” and the program was launched to help the dhobis to cope up with the current situation.
The program is aimed to provide the needed resources and strengthen the dhobi community to help them to overcome the obstacles faced by them which were caused due to the pandemic.
The company has partnered with Dhobi Kalyan Charitable Trust to help the dhobis in Mumbai to get back to their business. The brand offered the dhobis various safety equipment like masks, gloves, sanitizers, face shields, and laundry bags to deliver the clothes.
The program was launched to create awareness among the dhobis regarding how to approach customers by wearing protective gear and by following hygiene and safety measures. The program was launched along with a digital video, which is being promoted on all digital platforms.
The company has collaborated with veteran actor Kabir Bedi to talk about the concept, where he mentions about a person’s feeling while wearing ironed clothes in workplaces and points out how the dhobis play a significant role in everyone’s life.
The vice president of the personal health of Philips Indian Subcontinent, Gulbahar Taurani stated that this initiative was brought up to empower and encourage the dhobis to help them carry out their business by following the safety and hygiene measures.
The campaign film showcases how the dhobis are committed to their work and how they make people’s lives better and through the campaign the company supports the dhobi community and develops confidence among the people to help them in tough situations.
