Initiative to connect Swat female artisans with British millennials

[Dubious]

LONDON: A British Pakistani entrepreneur has launched a unique initiative with the aim to connect fashion conscious millennials and the general British public in Britain with female artisans in Swat, Pakistan’s North Western area.

Saadia Baber, the CEO of Xperience Pakistan, has launched the initiative in collaboration with Swat Valley Guild and Bizgees with the aim is to remove misconceptions of Pakistan and to promote tourism in a socially responsible way, benefiting the country and its people.

Her company is inviting millennials to visit female refugees artisans and learn about their work whilst also getting to know more about Pakistan.

She told The News and Geo: “We have collaborated with Bizgees and Swat Valley Guild to organize 4 days of workshops in the Swat Valley. We want to launch this on International Women’s Day, in recognition of female entrepreneurs both in the UK and Pakistan. The campaign which is being launched on Kickstarter today is supporting up and coming British Asian fashion designer Feryaal Akhtar who’s designed an exclusive clutch bag to be produced by female artisans from Swat Valley. The limited edition bag will only be available with Bizgees.

She goes on to say: “Each bag purchased through the crowd funding package creates 4 days’ worth of work for the artisans, who are mainly women working from home. The women get paid 25% above the market rate. Xperience Pakistan have created a bespoke educational tour package with Swat Valley Guild, enabling buyers of the bags or others who may be interested to visit Swat and meet the artisans. They can learn first-hand how the yarning, weaving, dyeing and embroidery process has worked over a hundred years. Visitors can produce a scarf for themselves and learn how to use organic dyes.”

Saadia Baber was born in Pakistan but has spent most of her life in the UK.

She explained: “Xperience Pakistan was created on the premise that through our platform, we create holidays and experiences that have a positive impact on women and the community in Pakistan and reconnect, the overseas market but particularly 2nd & 3rd generation Pakistani’s, with Pakistan. That’s why when Zulfiqar from Bizgeess approached us to see if we’d be interested to join and collaborate, it made complete sense said Sadia.

Saadia added that "As a proud British Asian, it’s great if I can play a role in connecting the two communities commercially, where both communities are set to gain. The project we’re working on with Bizgees & Swat Valley Guild does just that; the crowd funding campaign they’ve developed is supporting up and coming British talent get their break in the fashion industry, whilst also supporting artisans in the Swat Valley access jobs and an income. This will hopefully inspire other up and coming designers to follow suit and explore some of the unique handicraft that can be done by these women in Pakistan.”

“Depending on the market response we plan on doing 2-3 a year of these projects, connecting local design talent with the artisans of Swat, the long term objective is to help revive the handicraft industry in the Swat valley, to where it was before it was attacked by the Talibans.”

Zulfiqar Deo from Bizgees said: “This is a great way to support local talent in the UK while also helping artisans rebuild their lives in a post conflict region at the same time.”

Saadia Baber said that her company will be arranging this bespoke 8 day tour, which includes Islamabad and 4 days of workshops in Swat from 18th April – 25th April 2019. The tour is limited to 10 places and the experience is packaged at £795 (excluding flights).

https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/4...swat-female-artisans-with-british-millennials

 

[313ghazi]

Great initiative. We're so lucky to still have art and arists alive in Pakistan. We must work hard to let people like that have easy access to the online market.

etsy.com is crying our for decent Pakistani designs.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

"As a proud British Asian

Another one terrified of calling herself 'Pakistani'.

Saadia Baber was born in Pakistan but has spent most of her life in the UK.

Are you sure you were not born in Asia"?

etsy.com is crying our for decent Pakistani designs.

MMmm are you sure you want to brand them "Pakistani"? How about 'Asian, Muslim, Desi' etc. Only if a bomb goes off, terrorism, poverty or some other horrible thing must you use 'Pakistani'. We don't want anything positive being associated with the name 'Pakistan'.

 

[Dubious]

Another one terrified of calling herself 'Pakistani'.

I understand you are not familiar with the way SOME journalists write?

Are you sure you were not born in Asia"?

Pakistan is in ASIA!

terrified of calling herself 'Pakistani'.

IF that was the case...she wouldnt ...I dont know take such an initiative where those calling themselves Pakistanis couldnt be bothered?

MMmm are you sure you want to brand them "Pakistani"? How about 'Asian, Muslim, Desi' etc. Only if a bomb goes off, terrorism, poverty or some other horrible thing must you use 'Pakistani'. We don't want anything positive being associated with the name 'Pakistan'.

I will not have you start that on my thread!

IF she denied her ASIAN/ PAKISTANI root she could have done so claiming her parents were Pakistanis and she doesnt relate to it! Now kindly learn to appreciate the little good we get coz a mentality like yours steals that away too!

 

[313ghazi]

Another one terrified of calling herself 'Pakistani'.


Are you sure you were not born in Asia"?

MMmm are you sure you want to brand them "Pakistani"? How about 'Asian, Muslim, Desi' etc. Only if a bomb goes off, terrorism, poverty or some other horrible thing must you use 'Pakistani'. We don't want anything positive being associated with the name 'Pakistan'.

You (not you personally) need to get ahead of the curve. The yuppie market who buy from etsy like what is new and "rough around the edges". Pakistan is that right now. The govt is making an effort with brand Pakistan - we should do the same. The right marketing will sell snow to eskimos.

People like us have the opportunity at our finger tips every day. There are tens of millions of english speaking Pakistani's on the internet and social media - we should behave like national ambassadors. Quality over quantity. I try to share positive news about Pakistan everywhere i can.

https://www.xperiencepakistan.co.uk/tour/swat-guild-tour/

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

Another one terrified of calling herself 'Pakistani'.


Are you sure you were not born in Asia"?

MMmm are you sure you want to brand them "Pakistani"? How about 'Asian, Muslim, Desi' etc. Only if a bomb goes off, terrorism, poverty or some other horrible thing must you use 'Pakistani'. We don't want anything positive being associated with the name 'Pakistan'.

Tear them apart! These people need to learn

 

[313ghazi]

Check out her prices - total rip off!

 

[Indus Pakistan]

You (not you personally) need to get ahead of the curve. The yuppie market who buy from etsy like what is new and "rough around the edges". Pakistan is that right now. The govt is making an effort with brand Pakistan - we should do the same. The right marketing will sell snow to eskimos.

People like us have the opportunity at our finger tips every day. There are tens of millions of english speaking Pakistani's on the internet and social media - we should behave like national ambassadors. Quality over quantity. I try to share positive news about Pakistan everywhere i can.

I do. And I agree it falls on each Pakistani. But we must brand it as 'Pakistani'. We must not act like Dracula who is terrified of garlic or light - in this case saying 'Pakistan'. The problem is every negative is always sold as 'Pakistan' whereas anything positive is sold as 'Asian, Indian, Muslim, Desi, Apna' or other synomyms which hide or deflect from the use of 'Pakistan' in a positive context.

If a bomb goes off or there is a terrorist act or the subject is poverty please by all means sell that as 'Indian, Asian, Muslim, Apna, desi' but for fcuks sakes can we please learn to use 'Pakistan' proudly with anything remotely positive.

I have concluded that we have a great product to sell 'Pakistan' which actually even with all the issues is better then India, Nepal, Malaysia etc but because we have failed to brand it the name 'Pakistan' has brand value next to Somalia. If we are scared of selling everything positive as 'Pakistani' the world only knows us by the news they get on media about bombs, terrorism and extremists. We have to give another narrative. And that begins by using the name 'Pakistan' instead of hiding behind other synomyms as if we are embarassed of our country.

 

[313ghazi]

I do. And I agree it falls on each Pakistani. But we must brand it as 'Pakistani'. We must not act like Dracula who is terrified of garlic or light - in this case saying 'Pakistan'. The problem is every negative is always sold as 'Pakistan' whereas anything positive is sold as 'Asian, Indian, Muslim, Desi, Apna' or other synomyms which hide or deflect from the use of 'Pakistan' in a positive context.

If a bomb goes off or there is a terrorist act or the subject is poverty please by all means sell that as 'Indian, Asian, Muslim, Apna, desi' but for fcuks sakes can we please learn to use 'Pakistan' proudly with anything remotely positive.

I have concluded that we have a great product to sell 'Pakistan' which actually even with all the issues is better then India, Nepal, Malaysia etc but because we have failed to brand it the name 'Pakistan' has brand value next to Somalia. If we are scared of selling everything positive as 'Pakistani' the world only knows us by the news they get on media about bombs, terrorism and extremists. We have to give another narrative. And that begins by using the name 'Pakistan' instead of hiding behind other synomyms as if we are embarassed of our country.

I agree. You have to believe in your own product though - i'm not sure how many of our lot do. It's always irked me how restuarants are branded as Indian restaurants, when most of the dishes are Pakistani in origin, and the staff most certainly are.

It doesn't bother me though - it's an opportunity. All these "Asian" resturants selling the same old food, balti, gora-fied karahi, popadoms... very few selling the authentic Pakistani taste.

I know this little takeaway near my ends which sells the authentic Pakistani taste. It's not much to look at - but the place has queues outside on weekends. He even does fries with that mild chilli sauce with the chaat masala in it. It takes you right back. Imagine being able to scale that up - chefs trained in Pakistani street food recipes, selling in resturants in the UK with a truly authentic, unadulterated flavour.

Enough to make me hungry.