Hira and his team

A unique workshop

Hira was born and raised in Kathmandu, and both he and his wife are deaf. After completing felt-making training, he found it difficult to secure steady employment. Therefore, he decided to establish a felt workshop with other deaf artisans.

He and his wife started making felt products from home, which they sold in Thamel, a district in Kathmandu frequented by tourists. The work was irregular, and their income was uncertain. Through Sanjeev, owner of a shop in Thamel, their products found a consistent market, and a small production group of deaf artisans was formed.

Through this collaboration, Sjaal met Verhaal came into contact with Hira. What began as an initial introduction grew into a partnership with Sjaal met Verhaal. Since then, the work became structured, and Hira and his team were able to transition to full-time jobs with a stable income. In the past year alone, six new full-time positions have been added.

Over a year ago, the team embarked on a special assignment for Sjaal met Verhaal's spring collection. In total, 15,000 felt ducks were made using the needle felting technique, a very labor-intensive method that requires a lot of time and precision. Each duck was crafted with great care and complete focus.

A duck with a story

Today, Hira's workshop provides employment for twelve people, all of whom are deaf. Each artisan creates a product entirely themselves, from start to finish. Their daughter also plays an important role in the workshop, assisting with communication.

The collaboration with Sjaal met Verhaal enables investments in the workspace and strengthens the deaf community around the workshop.