Written by Adrian K. K. Wahlang, Fifth Semester, Media Technologies, 2023
A story about a local individual doing his small part for the environment.
Wankit Khriemmujat, who stays and grew up in Dong Society Colony, Rynjah is the founder of K1-1(Kyrshanlang Iwei ia Iwei). K1-1 has been manufacturing hand-made carry bags out of recycled craft paper which they get all the way from Guwahati since 2019.
Wankit can be described as a very resourceful individual who is quite efficient with his hands, ever since he was a kid he always had a knack for making things out of scratch using only the resources available around him. On his off days from work, physical exercise is an important way of spending the day cycling, playing football or swimming.
After Wankit's graduation from college, he absolutely did not want to continue any further studies. Taking such a decision would also put him in a position where he had to step up for himself, but he didn't want a normal 9-5, he wanted to start his own thing following the footsteps of his mother. Wankit got to thinking and experimenting along with the help of some of his close friends.
After a lot of trial and errors of other ideas, he finally decided on something that would firstly help the environment and also help him stand on his own feet. Thus, K1-1(Kyrshanlang Iwei ia Iwei) was established in 2019. As someone who cares deeply about the environment and also a fond lover of nature, he was determined to make K1-1 a working and recognizable business while also trying to help improve and protect the environment in the smallest ways that he could as well.
K1-1 was selected as one of the top 50 enterprise at the very first Chief Minister's E-Championship Challenge in the year 2019, and completed their incubation program at PRIME Meghalaya, but since then K1-1 have upgraded their business and workplace through the same profits they earned from selling these paper bags to various other businesses in Shillong and nearby cities or towns.
K1-1 have come a long way since they first started. From a small shed the size of two vehicles to receiving orders for paper bags almost every day from various other businesses in the city, but interestingly paper bags are still not something that the general public would choose for everyday use over plastic bags. So the real question would be, 'Why paper bags aren't preferred by the public?'
Wankit gives his answer very simply in one sentence, "Plastic pat te kham suk te ban rah shaei shaei ruh da donkam." A short and simple answer from someone who's easy-going and 'chill'. Make no mistake K1-1 are doing what they can from their part, but if the public as a whole does not prefer paper bags over plastic bags then it can't be helped.
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