5YearPlan: Project Report

Jhola Project by 5yearplan.org/ Aaron Sinift with Mr. Vijay Kumar Handa and the Manav Seva Sannidhi of Modinagar UP. India

Super affordable artist editions that serve Gandhi’s dream of self-sufficiency in Village India. (Get One Here!)

“When you purchase khadi, you help the poorest villager in the world maintain self-sufficiency”
–Mr. Vijay KumarHanda (Gandhi Sannidhi, New Delhi)

5 Year Jhola Project is a seva in honor of MK Gandhi, and an experiment in Gandhian economics. It is a NO PROFIT/ NO LOSS seva that reduces the degrees of separation between village India, the contemporary art world, and you.

Each year since 2010, we have done small artist jhola editions (200-500-1000 jholas). It is our hope that with projects like this we can begin to provide more substantive work for the people of the ashram, and be able to provide funds to pay local teachers who work with the poorest of the poor. 5 Year Plan is not charity, it is a cooperation of equal partners.

Our success is due to the cooperation of Mr. Vijay Kumar Handa of the Gandhi Hindustani Sahitya Sabbha in New Delhi; Mr. Karan SIngh of the Manav Seva Sannidhi in Modinagar UP; People Tree Collective in New Delhi, Gurpreet Sidhu, Orijit Singh and their amazing circle of designers; Nandita Devraj of Rudraksh Printers in Jaipur.

Artists include:
Artists

JHOLA PROJECT (Feb-June 2013) RESULTS: Gandhi ashram artist jholas made= 533 work days to produce jholas= 400+ days minimum paid to Manav Seva Sannidhi Ashram= $2225 Project expenses (30 days, travel, meals etc.)= approx $3000 Kickstarter commission = approx. $450 Shipping to USA + import duties = $675 Postage and delivery of jholas= $700 technical support= $500. Donation to Mr Handa = $300 end balance= -$663.00 (but well worth it!)

In 2011 & 2012 we made 2500 jholas for GOOGLE NYC creating at least 2500 days of work for workers of the Manav Seva Sannidhi. 5 Year Plan.org made no profit from this, though we wish we could have! Nandita Devraj & Rudraksh made these projects possible.

In 2013 we made jholas for Boston University’s ESPRIT Magazine Summer Edition cover. Lara Ehrlich wrote the excellent article: “Who is the Citizen Artist?” 5YP participated in a panel discussion at Boston University in connection with this article.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: All artists who contributed work All 91 Jhola Project participants/backers Mr Vijay Kumar Handa, mentor and friend Karan Singh & Family of Manav Seva Sannidhi Greta Byrum, my wife and Light Hudson of Feature Inc. NYC Nandita Devraj who oversaw project resolutions Steven Warner who handled technical difficulties GOOGLE NYC especially Rachel Hyman & Erin Mindell PEOPLE TREE for shelter, guidance, and inspiration Boston University & ESPRIT Magazine, especially Lara Ehrlich! BOOKLYN.ORG, Marshall Weber & Felice Tebbe INDIAN OCEAN for the great music “Ma Rewa”