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Mithila Christmas Art Fest on December 5 and 6, 2025 at Danfe Works
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Thread, Tools, or Training Kits?
Behind the Scenes of SAATH & Danfe Works
-- A blog by Utsav Shrestha
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Where Impact Really Begins
We often see the final outcome, successful training programs, beautifully finished products, or community events. But before anything reaches that stage, there are materials to source, deliveries to track, and inventories to update. That’s where my work in procurement comes in.
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Two Organizations, One Shared Purpose
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Our artisans put love and care into every piece they create. They aren’t just making products; they’re sharing a piece of themselves through their work.
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We take pride in using high-quality materials and time-honored techniques to create products that are both durable and aesthetically pleasing.
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I support both SAATH and Danfe, and though their work differs, they are deeply connected. SAATH trains women in Janakpur and Kathmandu in skills like embroidery, stitching, and knitting. Many of the products created through these trainings are later marketed by Danfe. Some women even transition from SAATH into on-the-job roles at Danfe, turning skills into income. Every part of this journey relies on materials arriving on time.
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What Procurement Looks Like in Reality
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At SAATH, procurement supports learning, threads, fabrics, tools, kits, and resources needed for sessions. At Danfe, procurement supports production, quality fabrics, trims, packaging, and printing materials that directly affect product quality and deadlines.
A missing roll of fabric can pause production. A delayed toolkit can postpone a training session. The work looks small, but delays ripple across everything.
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The Not-So-Glamorous Moments
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Not everything goes according to plan. Some days suppliers don’t pick up calls. Sometimes deliveries arrive late. In between, there are countless phone calls, follow-ups, and unexpected surprises, like realizing the vendor swapped black fabric for charcoal grey and insisting it’s “the same thing.”
Spoiler: it’s not.
Prices change overnight, stock runs out, timelines shift, and we adapt as fast as we can.
These are the tiny battles no one sees, but they shape the work on the ground.
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What this role has taught me!
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This role has shown me that impact doesn’t start in the field or at the sewing machine, it starts much earlier, with preparation and logistics. It has taught me to plan ahead, communicate clearly, document properly, and stay calm when things change unexpectedly.
A training kit might be someone’s first step into skill-building. A batch of materials might be someone’s first income opportunity. These small items carry real meaning.
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As both organizations grow, I hope to help build more streamlined systems, better tracking, smoother workflows, and more digital support. But for now, the work continues quietly from the background.
Whether it’s thread, tools, or training kits, every small detail moves us closer to impact.
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Digital Catalogue: Mithila by Danfe
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