Hasan of village Fazal Wadho, participant, expressed, “We were wasting valuable natural resources, but now I will utilize these resources for sustainable agriculture practices.”
Capacity building session on pest management in cotton crop at Central Cotton Research Institute.
Orientation in relation to different wheat production at Wheat Research Institute.
Dr. Muhammad Waris Sanjrari, Director, Central Cotton Research Institute with the participants of the exposure visit.
Lakhano Rabari, participant at the exposure visit, shared his views saying, “We have been engaged in the agricultural sector for decades but with limited knowledge. This exposure has enhanced our capacity and concepts in crop production technologies and pest management.”
Participants briefed about different wheat trails at Wheat Research Institute.
Briefing at Agriculture Training Institute about new innovation which indicates presence of water in different soil depths.
Dr. Muhammad Waris Sanjrai addressing farmers about Cotton Production technology.
Dr. Karim Bux Laghari sharing development of new wheat varieties at Wheat Research Institute.
An exposure visit of sixty farmers from Badin, Sindh, to the Central Cotton Research Institute, Agriculture Training Institute and Wheat Research Institute was conducted and facilitated in Sakrand last week of March under the Promoting Sustainable Agriculture Farming project supported by Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB).
Mr. Muhammad Yousaf Channa, coordinator and senior Instructor for the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) unit at Agriculture Training Institute in Sakrand, facilitated the visit along with Community World Service Asia staff. The participants were welcomed by Dr. Abdul Waris Sanjrani, Director,Central Cotton Research Institute (CCRI).
The CCRI is engaged in multidisciplinary researches conducted in the field of Agronomy, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Cytogenetics, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology and a newly established section, Transfer of Technology. Since its inception, the Institute has successfully evolved considerable number of high yielding cotton varieties at required fiber qualities. Abdullah Keerio and Saira Bano, Scientific officers at the Institute, introduced production technology to the participants. Shah Nawaz Khoro, Senior Scientific Officer, explained Cotton Insect pests. A documentary was also screened showing the cotton production technology.
Abdul Wahab Soomro and Vishandas Suthar, also Scientific officers at the Institute, facilitated the participants through their visit of the greenhouse placed with parental genes of cotton plants imported from various countries for development of further progenies. The Glass house was another visiting site in the location where cotton cultivars were planted in winter in controlled environments to save the time required for evaluation of new variety. The participants were amazed to visit the Cold Room where decades old cotton seeds are preserved.
At the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI), the group of visiting farmers was welcomed by Dr. Ghulam Mustafa Jamali, Principal of the Institute (ATI). The farmers were briefed about the integrated crop and pest management process and systems by the coordinator at ATI and experienced new procedures of organic backyard gardening, compost making, optimum use of available waste resources for more productive plantation and innovative methods to measure soil moisture. At the Wheat Research Institute, Dr. Kareem Bux Lagari, briefed the participants regarding the varieties of wheat grown in experimental fields and demonstrated how different strains and wheat are developed. The farmers then visited the demonstration field where production technologies were functioning and lastly to the Wheat Museum where a large variety of wheat was on display.
The Sindhi farming community is very apprehensive about the current cropping season. They are looking for best suitable crop varieties in accordance to the soil composition and the changing climate. Previously they use to purchase any variety of plant to yield but these exposure visits have made the farmers more aware about seed selection and crop management as per changing seasons. Moreover, the farmers are now planning to use waste material for crop and vegetable production. One of the participant has already started making compost from the waste material and is planning to go for ridge sowing in the following wheat season to collect a good yield.
Health & Hygiene session in the catchment area of RHC Dhoronaro.
Family planning session for women project participants in RHC Hyder Farm.
Health & Hygiene session in Village Nabisar with women project participants.
The school children actively participated in the Health & Hygiene sessions.
Roles and responsibilities of health committees being discussed with the communities.
Project Manager meeting with health committee.
Project Manager and Quality & Accountability Officer meeting with communities.
Prescribed medicines are provided to the patients (women) at all Rural Health Centers.
Patient Treatment by lady doctor at RHC Hyder farm.
Village women health committee formation process underway.
According to the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS), 2012-13, maternal and child death remains a major concern in Pakistan. In the provincial public sector, health services are provided through a tiered referral system of health care facilities; with increasing levels of complexity and coverage from primary, to secondary and tertiary health services. Primary care facilities include Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centres (RHCs), Government Rural Dispensaries (GRDs), Mother and Child Health (MCH) Centres and TB centres. Most of these public health facilities lack the provision of a broader range of preventive and curative health services.
Community World Service Asia conducted a baseline survey in first year (2015) of its health project inception in Umerkot and these are the major findings of the study:
Very few, small private clinics operational in some villages of the targeted Union Councils. These clinics are not affordable for most of the community members (selected in the sample size) as they have low monthly incomes, with an average of only PKR 8733
According to 91.7% of the respondents, there are no antenatal services. 99% of respondents replied that there are no postnatal services. 5% reported the absence of delivery services whereas 96.1% reported the absence of family planning services
100% of respondents replied that there are no women medical officers available at the health facility, whereas, 76.5 % reported the absence of Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) in the health facility. A 99.5% and 81.4% responded positively to the presence of male doctors and Medical Technician (MT) respectively
5% respondents raised the need for a presence of medical staff to improve health services in the area
8% respondents raised the need for provision of essential medicines, whereas 37% believed that the provision of 24 hours emergency services were essential to improve the quality of services
2% of the respondents believed better infrastructure and cleanliness of health facilities were key to further improving the overall health services of the area
What is the project doing?
After analysing the results of the baseline survey, three Rural Health Centres (RHCs) were set up by Community World Service Asia, with the support of Act for Peace. All three of these RHCs are functioning with a focus on delivering primary healthcare services in the district of Umerkot.
The health facilities established, have deployed Female Medical Officers (FMOs), LHVs and Medical Technicians in their centres at Hyderfarm and Nabisar Road along with providing medicines. In RHC Dhoronaro, a lady doctor sits in shifts and rotationally visits the centre as well.
The social mobilizers, under the project, have formed two Health Committees in addition to the existing six committees formed last year. An advocacy forum has also been developed at district level to address emerging health issues. The village Health Committees and advocacy forum consists of eight to ten members including both men and women activists from the community, who are responsible to facilitate and support health services provided under the project. The village Health Committees meet monthly, with facilitation of the community mobilizers, and share their committees’ progress, problems and challenges and plan for the next month. A total of eight village Health Committees and a district health advocacy forum are running actively and meet regularly at the health facility. They conduct joint meetings in the villages on a fortnightly or monthly basis to discuss the pertaining issues regarding health and other community based problems. These meetings are properly documented and shared with the project management team. The discussions of these meetings are recorded for further planning, improvement and implementation of the project activities.
Clinical support is also given at these curative and preventive RHCs with focus to Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) services. These services are delivered by women health staff comprising of FMOs and LHVs along with two medical technicians and one male and one female social mobilizers. The main focus of the services is on reproductive health of women of childbearing age.
Recognizing maternal, neonatal and child health care as a major component of the health services, the project team provides antenatal and postnatal assistance to local women. Complicated cases are referred to the secondary level health care facilities in the area. The MNCH services at the RHC focus on continuum of care including family planning, pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, labour and childbirth, postpartum, newborn care, and child health and support high-impact, evidence-based interventions that saves lives.
Health education sessions are being conducted for men, women and children at the health facilities, in the surrounding villages of each RHC and at schools. Major topics on health education, such as Personal Hygiene, Family Planning, Reproductive Health, Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS awareness, Importance of Breastfeeding and Safe Drinking Water, with emphasis to prevalence of the disease, have been included in the IEC materials developed for building the knowledge of the communities. Through general OPD, patients are treated and facilitated along with being provided necessary medicines.
The project team assessed the nutritional status of women and children under five, of all the three RHCs, through analysing their medical history, physical examination, and height to weight balance and various other parameters. The patients are then referred accordingly to different NGOs, providing nutritional care, based in the district. More complicated cases are referred to District Headquarter Hospitals of Umerkot and Mirpurkhas. Counselling sessions to malnourished, lactating and pregnant women are also provided. Children under the age of five are facilitated with de-worming medicines and family planning services are being provided to women by LHVs across the three healthcare facilities. The LHVs brief the women from these communities on the importance and benefits of family planning and the various, free of cost methods available for family planning at the health facilities.
What have we achieved so far?
The availability of services such as primary care, behavioural health, emergency, and public health services are a basic human right which must be provided to all. The project has worked towards providing this basic right and has achieved the following so far:
12,156 community members provided with curative and preventive healthcare services
11,307 individual have participated in health education sessions
2,414 women provided with antenatal and postnatal services
868 individuals have availed family planning services
5,426 women and children were assessed for nutritional balance
42 baby deliveries conducted at the health facilities
25 delivery kits were provided to women as per criteria
Participation in seven coordination meetings with line departments, other NGOs and civil society organizations working at district level.
Community World Service Asia is implementing the project through its own staff, including two lady doctors, three LHVs, two Medical Technicians, two community mobilizers and a manager located in Umerkot. They are implementing the project with equally involving the Health Committees and District Advocacy Forum. The health team continues to maintain regular dialogue with the government line departments at the Federal, Provincial and District levels to ensure the efficacy and implementation of the program. Regular coordination meetings are held between key, district stakeholders including NGOs and civil society organizations.
Under the Capacity Institutionalization Project, Community World Service Asia conducted a four-day workshop on Organizational Development during the third week of this February in Mirpurkhas, Sindh. Twenty-eight participants, including twenty-one men and seven women, belonging to fourteen local and community based organizations participated at this capacity building event.
The workshop aimed at further developing the capacity of the executive management of small NGOs and CBOs in Sindh, on the core concepts of organizational development. A specific focus was laid on developing an understanding of clear roles and responsibilities between an organization’s board and management, decentralized organizational and decision making structures. The workshop encouraged the participants to contemplate on their organizational values and equipped them with the latest tools to help assess their organizations’ structure and culture, and make the necessary modifications as per needs and requirements. On the last day of the event, action plans for each organization were developed by all the participants, to evaluate their learning and how it is being incorporated practically. A technical assistance will be provided to interested organizations on the basis of their action plans to further strengthen their systems and practices.
Quotes & Comments by Participants
Simon Goel: During this 3-Day Workshop, I learnt a lot about development, under-development and why organizations deteriorate due to lack of growth and policies’ enforcement.
Chander: I enjoyed this training. There was a lot to learn regarding organizational development. I tend to further my knowledge and strengthen the weaknesses of my organization so that it can execute different projects more effectively for the betterment of the nation.
Aneer Adil: I had a good time, learning new features for a strong organizational structure and sharing my experience with other at the same time. All participants were easy going. Methodologies used during the workshop were effective. Sir Sohail is one of the best facilitator. I wish all the best to everyone.
Humera: Before coming to this workshop, I was not aware about organizational development and its importance. But with the help of different discussions, presentations and group work, my knowledge has increased and I will definitely apply some of these tools in order to make our OD structure more effective.
Dur M. Brohi: I have attended many trainings and workshops but this training is different from others. Here we gained more knowledge, on how can we make our own organization and how can we improve the image of the organization.
Jabbar Bhatti: This training gave many new thoughts, new terminologies and new things about organization to develop and to make our organization efficient. I learnt 10 rules of social entrepreneurship and key learnings for developing organization. Overall the training was very helpful for me personally which will ultimately be a contributing factor to my organization.
Sarfraz Ali: The workshop was very informative. A variety of methodologies made the workshop more interesting. This workshop was advantageous for me as I came to know about different tools and techniques, which I have never heard about. I am quite confident that I will apply my learnings in my current organization to refine policies, procedures and practices.
Ahsan Goel: There are so many things which I got to know about Organizational Development. As a HR assistant it will be very useful for me and my organization. For this 4-Day workshop, I would like to say thanks to Community World Service Asia, especially Sir Suhail for training us so clearly and effectively.
Aqlan, a thirty-two year old mother of five school going children financially supports her family, including her husband and brother-in-law. Her main source of income is earned through agricultural fieldwork and livestock management.
“Badin district is situated at the tail end of canal irrigation system. Therefore, the agriculture fields are faced by severe water scarcity. The land has low productivity due to unfertile soil and lack of water. We have to depend on livestock rearing to supplement family earning,”
an exhausted Aqlan explains.
Nominated as a kitchen gardening training participant of a disaster response project in Badin, Aqsa received vegetable seeds for home-growing at her home yard in her village, Mohammad Abbas Thebo.
“Puran Nadi, a natural flow of River Indus, not only irrigates thousands of acres of land but also provides drinking water to the surrounding communities. Sadly, the disposal of chemical waste in the river has not only made the water undrinkable but unusable for irrigation as well. The contaminated water is gradually devouring the fertile soil land as well. After receiving the kitchen gardening training and vegetable seeds, I decided to prepare a patch of land for sowing the seeds to produce fresh vegetables, with the support of my family.”
As a result, Aqlan’s family grew garden-fresh vegetables on a daily basis, improving the quality and quantity of their food consumption.
“Kitchen gardening enhanced my family’s food diversification as it helps me to grow different kinds of vegetables seasonally. Our expense on purchasing vegetables from market has decreased exceptionally. I have also generated revenue of PKR5000 by selling the surplus in the nearby market.”
Aqsa revealed that she also bought a male goat from her savings which will benefit her family in the long run.
“We are planning to sell the goat on the festive of Eid for a good price of PKR25000. I am so pleased that I have been given a chance to do something meaningful in my life for my family’s support and care.”
“I was engaged to marry at the age of twelve with a boy from another village. My wedding was planned as soon as I turn seventeen. To our luck, Community World Service Asia visited our village and conducted gender awareness sessions, which my family attended. After the sessions, my father realized I was too young to bear the responsibility of marriage. He wanted me to study further and take my handicraft work to the urban markets. My in-laws insisted for the wedding to be held according to agreement but my father refused. I was very happy to see my father’s stance and his strong support for me.”
Kaveeta joined the skills center established by Community World Service Asia in her home village of Mandhal Otaaq in Umerkot, and took part in the literacy and skill development trainings. Sixteen years of age, Kaveeta lives with her parents and seven siblings. Her father is a teacher in a village school and earns PKR40,000 per month. Her brother studies and teaches as well, earning PKR10,000 per month. Kaveeta herself is a student of eighth grade at the Government Girls High School in Umerkot. Prior to the skills training, she used to do embroidery and simple stitching at home as a hobby through which she would earn between PKR600 to PKR700.
“I work on the orders I get at the center. I have received five orders from Karachi including two dupattas, two shirts and one sleeves work. I earned PKR4000 from those orders. From the money I earnt, I have bought new clothes and school books for my young sisters. I also bought a cow that gave birth to two calves and is expecting a third.”
“My father has been very supportive throughout. It is important that girls have access to work and education to transform communities on basis of equality. I want to work more and become my father’s support. I am happy now as I have the freedom to work.”
Girls’ education and promoting gender equality is part of a broader, holistic effort by Community World Service Asia. Paveeta Dessar is a 16 years old artisan from Mandhal Otaaq Village in Umerkot. “My father’s name is Desar. He is a tailor in Umerkot. We are seven sisters and one brother. My father is the only bread earner for our family. He approximately earns PKR6000 a month. The challenges we face due to low income is lack of healthcare, limited resources and scarce education opportunities.
When we face health related problem, my father seeks financial help from my grandmother or uncle. If they too are unable to lend us money, we then borrow from neighbors. My mother earns very little through stitching clothes for residual villagers here. Since our family’s income is very limited, I had to quit school while I was in class six at the Government Girls High School in Umerkot.”
“I joined the skills center when it was established in our village. The trainings on skill development and literacy were very informative as some of the artisans did not even know how to write their names. I learnt stitching and embroidery skills at the center. I have worked on rillis and different products including blouses, dupattas and shirts. The quality and finishing of my products has improved exceptionally and my rilli work was most appreciated by the buyers. I use to do simple stitching at home, but the trainings have enhanced my skills in thread work and designing which has brought an exciting diversity in the products I make. Working with seasonal, wedding and family colors was new to me.”
Through the skill building classes, Paveeta has been able to earn PKR1500 per week by producing colorful handmade rillis through a local order she received. “Since the launch and our involvement in the brand Taanka, our products have become visible in the urban markets. As my handicraft sales have improved, I have started studying at the school again. My father and I both contribute to the educational expenses of all my siblings. I want to earn more to be able to bear all my educational expenses so that I can ease my father’s economic burden.”
Deputy Director, National Programme for Improvement of Watercourses (NPIW) visiting stall of Arche Nova.
Biology Control Stall
Locally made handicrafts.
Stall of Biological Control.
SSEWA-PAK stall
Participant sharing their views on Kitchen Gardening.
Theater Performance by Perbhat Theater group.
Community representative presenting an Ajrak gift to District Manager Health Project of Umerkot Community World Service Asia.
Community World Service Asia organized a two days farmer festival in two union councils of Khairpur Gambo and Pangrio of in district Badin of Sindh under its “Promoting Sustainable Agriculture practices” project for vulnerable and marginalized farmers. The festival which aimed at highlighting local agriculture based issues with line departments and sharing project learnings with other stakeholders, was held at two venues; one at Babar Kaloion village and the other at Kamil Khosoon village, in January this year. Around six hundred people attended the festival. Representatives from from Community Based organizations (CBOs), farmer Field School Members and community women, trained in kitchen gardening and nutrition, participated took part in the festival.
Organizations working in the area, including Arche Nova, Plan International, National Rural Support Program (NRSP), SEEWA Pak, Participatory Village Development Programme (PVDP), President’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) and Local Support Organization Meharn, had held stalls at the festival as well. The stalls displayed local handicrafts and pictorial presentations reflecting project activities. Models on Key Hole Kitchen Gardening and Biological Pests Control were also on display. Local women held stalls selling the fresh vegetables grown in their kitchen gardens. Community members shared their experiences and learnings in sustainable agriculture while working under the project with visitors at the festival.
Government and Line department officials including Assistant Director Social Welfare Badin, Agriculture Officers’ from Agriculture Extension department of Badin and Deputy Director Water Management Hyderabad appreciated the efforts of the farmers and their hard work in the fields. Local government officials, including Vice Chairman UC Khairpur, Vice Chairman UC Saman Sarkar, Ex-Taluka Nazim Tando Bagho and progressive farmers from local nearby villages also attended the festival.
An interactive theater play was performed by Perbhat, a local theater group, focusing on “Promoting Sustainable Agriculture Practices to Improve Food Security and Livelihoods local farmers”. Mir Kaloi, a local poet and radio presenter, played a folk song and a group of rural women,Prem Nagar, sang a song on social development as the fun-filled festival.
The festival provided a platform for local farmers and government officials to interact directly with each other. The farmers communicated their problems and challenges faced during agricultural activities while people representatives of the line department recommended possible mitigation measures to them. The Agriculture, Irrigation and Social Development departments shared informative details about their departments and the subsidies they are providing to small-scale farmers.
Mithal, Village Organization member, sharing her story with the participants.
Hussain Bux, President of Village Organization, expressing his views on enhancing women participation in communities.
Theater performance by community group on Gender-Based Violence
Participants at the International Rural Women’s Day event at Dodo Esani Jhakro Village.
Women living in rural communities play a critical role in contributing to rural economies of both developed and developing countries. The International Day of Rural Women highlights, both, the contribution that women make in rural areas, and the many challenges that they face. According to FAO’s The State of Food and Agriculture 2010-11, in most parts of the developing world women participate in crop production and livestock care, provide food, water and fuel for their families, and engage in off-farm activities to increase their families’ livelihoods. Needless to say they are also responsible for caring for their children, the elderly and the sick in their families.
On October 15th 2016, Community World Service Asia celebrated International Rural Women’s Day in collaboration with the Local Support Organizations and the Village Organizations in village Dodo Esani Jhakro, Union Council Bijora, Sindh, Pakistan. The Local Support Organization and Village Organization invited Muhammad Umar, chairman of the Union Council, as the chief Guest at the celebratory event.
A theater performance focusing on sexual reproductive health and gender based violence was the opening show of the event. Through the play, the women of the village conveyed a strong message highlighting the challenges faced by women in rural societies and everyday lives.
Razia, wife of Suleman, a member of the Village Organization, shared her success story in a narrative story form on stage, at the event with the participants. She recounted how the women of her village were not aware of the high demand of their handicrafts in the urban market earlier and sold them at cost price. The vocational training center set up in their areas changed the lives of many women in the village, including her own she shared, by enhancing their skills and building linkages with the rural and urban markets. She confidently added that she now has great knowledge of product development and she is earning well through the orders she is receiving for her handcrafted goods.
Mithal, another member of the Village Organization, also shared her story about how women in their village were bound and dependent on male family members as the men in their village did not allow the intervention of women in their decisions or matters.
“The initiation of the livelihood and skills development projects implemented by Community World Service Asia has empowered many women in my village, especially myself. I confidently take part in the decision-making matters and suggestions given by me are seriously considered by the men in my family and village now. Being a woman is a terribly difficult task here, since it mainly involves dealing with men.”
Hussain Bux, president of the Ranta village organization, defined the affirmative role of women and agreed on the fact that the respect of women in societies like theirs has increased due to the awareness building and trainings on gender based violence.
The chief guest, Muhammad Umar, appreciated the positive role all the stakeholders played in organizing an event like this one. He said,
“These efforts will bring a productive and positive change in the society, focusing primarily on women. It will boost their confidence and encourage many women to step out to improve their standards of living and support their families.”
This celebratory, yet informative event was attended by a total of 54 people from five villages namely Phul Jhakro, Ranta, Wasayo Mallah, Dodo Esani Jhakro and Nooh Walro. There were many women participants from many villages as well who actively participated at the event.
Informative charts on cropping calendar and crops existing in different districts of Sindh displayed at Agronomy Museum
Male participants being oriented in Orgonomy department
Participants briefed on Dehydration and Preservation Methods
Participants briefed on pest control, beneficial and harmful insects at the Insect Museum
The preserved seeds are being displayed and shown to the participants
Types of seeds being discussed in agronomy lab
Low productivity in agriculture is a pressing challenge in the developing world. To improve food security and increase agricultural incomes in Pakistan and neighbouring developing countries, farmers need to start adopting and using new farming techniques and tools. As part of one of our humanitarian programs, Community World Service Asia organized an exposure visit to the Sindh Agricultural University, for participating farming families of Union Council Pangrio and Khairpur Gambo of Tehsil Tando Bago, Badin district in Sindh. A total of 171 participants from 17 targeted villages along with project staff participated in this four day exposure visit in November.
Dr. Ismail Kumbhar, Director at the University and Training Coordinator and Professor of Agricultural Education Extension, saw this as a great opportunity for farmers from remote areas to be familiarized with farming innovations and modern agricultural research work. He believed that this initiative will give these farmers an opportunity to meet experts who could enhance their knowledge regarding agriculture and livestock management. Dr. Ismail also highlighted the issues faced in Sindh in the field of agriculture, such as shortage of irrigation water, irrational use of agrochemical, lack of extension services, high input rates and low prices of farm produce in Sindh, especially in District Badin. “To ensure the food security of the future generations it is vital to be self-sufficient in agriculture productivity through sustainable agriculture practices rather than waiting for tangible support from government or other institutions,” said the Professor.
He further added, “Being away from extension services and innovations, our farmers are laggard and believe in unconventional practices due to which they are becoming weaker by the day. There is a need to educate the generations and equip them with new and improved scientific farming practices.”
The farmers visited the General Laboratory and Beverage Unit of the University’s Food Technology Department where they were briefed on the importance of nutrition, use of iron for blood formation, zinc for hair falling, natural and artificial methods used in food preservation, pickle making, and natural preservations methods. The farmers found the beverage production unit very interesting as methods of improving shelf life of bakery and milk products were also explained. The visitors were also acquainted with the processes of water purification in reverse osmosis plant, mixing of sugar, adding carbon dioxide and color in a chilling unit.
Seeds samples of sixty different crops were examined by the team at the Agronomy Museum. Pictorial views of traditional and mechanized agricultural practices, models of agricultural implements and village aping were displayed at the museum.
Dr. Imtiaz Nizamani, Assistant Professor at the University, introduced the visiting participants to the students working in the Integrated Pest Management laboratory and explained how to make culture media for rearing purpose and artificial rearing of biological control agents. The participants had an opportunity to see egg parasites, trichogramma and green lacewing insects, and their use in biological pest management and how to control their infestation.
The various diseases that attack farm animals and the preventive measures taken to protect them were explained to the farmers at the department of Poultry Management, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences. Participants expressed a keen interest and inquired about the different common diseases and their remedies and techniques to improve lactation of their animals. They were introduced to the role of insects in integrated pest management and pollination at the Insect Museum. Various life stages of insects and pests and the dangers of chemical pesticides was also shared with them during their visit.
The information rick visit expanded the knowledge of the farmers in Badin on areas of livestock management and dairy technologies. The participants were given valuable advice on progressive farming, housing of farming animals, feeding and cleanliness of sheds which they will use and implement in their daily work and will pass on to many future generations.
Saadiqua, representing the apparel brand Taali, in a group photo with rural women artisans after coordination meeting.
Samiya, representing the urban fashion brand, SWANK, Masood from, Afroze Collections, during the screening of the documentary on the artisans’ skill developing journey at the TIP city office. Mr. Fariq, Head of Textile design & Marketing department, also attended the screening.
Samiya, Masood and Shahroz, representing Vibgyor fashions, engaging with rural women artisans and Community World Service Asia project staff at the meeting.
Shahroz, appreciates the quality and contrast of the product made by Mithal, an artisan from Thatta.
Designers, Samiya, Masood and, Shahroz inspecting the quality of handwork and expressing their interest in the crafts.
Group Picture after video screening and showcase of products at TIP city office.
Renown fashion designer, Rizwan Baig, interacting with rural women artisans at the coordination meeting set up with potential buyers conducted at the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture.
Wardha Saleem, fashion designer and guru, sharing her interest in working with rural women artisans in a meeting discussing development of linkages and coordination among rural artisans and the urban market.
People often do not mind paying more for handcrafted products as each product is unique and a piece of art skillfully manufactured by individuals. Every product has an individuality and a story behind its making. However, these stories are often unheard and untold as there is a huge gap between the producers of these handicrafts and the consumers who truly appreciate and value these products. To bridge this existing gap, it is vital to build rural and urban linkages so that both communities could benefit from the heritage that still lives in the midst of a culturally rich province that is Sindh.
To achieve this, seven meetings were conducted with various well known Pakistani fashion designers to link them with 670 rural artisans belonging to districts Umerkot & Thatta of Sindh. The Textile Institute of Pakistan (TIP) and the Indus Valley School of Art & Architecture (IVS) facilitated these meetings from the designers’ end. The designers included Rizwan Baig, Saadique from Taali, Sana Khan Niazi from Paimona, Warda Saleem, Shahroz from Vibgyor Fashions, Masood from Afroze Collections and Samiya from SWANK- all prominent names in the national fashion industry.
These meetings were conducted at TIP city office, IVS campus and Country Inn hotel in Karachi city. The designers appreciated the high skill levels of these experienced artisans and were truly impressed with the quality of work they displayed. Rizwan Baig, Wardha Saleem, and Shahroz gave an open invitation to the artisans to visit their workshops to explore bulk production and learn new ways of finishing products.
Other designers, Saadiqua, Masood, and Samiya expressed their interest in purchasing some of the finished products from the artisans’ brand Taanka and planned to market it within their existing customer networks. The designers joined Taanka’s facebook page and hoped to visit the KIOSKs set up in the urban malls for the launch of their product volumes in 2017. On the other hand, Rizwan Baig, Wardha Saleem, Sana Khan and Shahroz showed their enthusiasm towards working with the artisans by giving them their own design samples for prototype production.Rizwan Baig also offered two day workshops in both Umerkot and Thatta before the artisans could start working on their designs. Similarly, Wardha Saleem & Shahroz committed to providing raw materials such as fabric and anchor for the production of their handcrafted samples.
The framework and format of the project was much commended by the visiting designers as it ensured the most important factors of product production such as quality assurance, timely provision of products and effective use of raw material. This is all ensured through the Quality Assurance Supervisors and Sales & Marketing Agents assigned at village levels whose capacity is constantly built throughout the project. The designers also acknowledged the confidence and improved communication skills of the rural artisans who could now converse confidently in Urdu with them.
All these meetings are clubbed in the buyer index developed under project and more meetings will be set up by relevant project staff as a follow-up of agreed plans with them. The artisans are expected to deliver as per the demand of the designers and will successfully build and sustain effective and smooth working relationships with these key players of the national fashion market.
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