The Headquarters of Society to Uplift Rural Economy , SURE, is located in Barmer district of Rajasthan. ShriMagraj Jain, a teacher by profession and recipient of the prestigious Padma Shree award for his contribution to the development of the desert region, started the organization in 1990 to work for the betterment of the poor in Chohtan tehsil of Barmer. The idea was to help lift the rural art
isans from their socioeconomic deprivation to encourage independence and give respect to their culture. What differentiates SURE from other NGOs is its focussed approach. It has a focussed approach on each sector to help those suffering from the drudgeries of life. As agriculture is a major occupation in the district, SURE has focused on the sector by introducing KrishiVigyan Kendra in 1992 , making it one of the the best KVKs in the country. SURE has worked towards issues such as animal husbandry , horticulture, empowerment of women, education, and health by launching several programmes, thereby, providing a platform for the villagers. SURE also opened a school for the disabled, ‘ShriSatyaSai School for the Deaf, dumb and Blinds’in 2005. SURE focusses on the development of the local artisans by providing them employment opportunities to live sustainably. A source of income for villagers is from the traditional craft of patchwork, applique, embroidery (nohran, soof, hurrumji, mukka/zari,kharek, ari, kambhiri, pakka) and mirror-work. From its very inception SURE has tried to revive the dwindling craft techniques and superior work quality that once characterized the area. The training and market exposure imparted to the women has helped inculcate a sense of pride in their craft along with a quality.
