2017

ACHIEVING SUSTAIANBEL
DEVELOPMENT GOALSs (SDGs)BY
BUILDING COMPITANCE OF
RURAL WOMEN TOWARDS
EMPOWERMENT: CASE STUDIES
FROM THARPARKER

Research Report

Shelter Participatory Org (SPO)

2/9/2017
 ABSTRACT

ACHIEVING SUSTAIANBEL DEVELOPMENT GOALSs (SDGs)

BY BUILDING COMPITANCE OF RURAL WOMEN TOWARDS EMPOWERMENT:
CASE STUDIES FROM THARPARKER

Thar, The land of harsh weather, infertile and erratic sand mound becomes territory of hope
and prosperity. Spare population, extreme temperatures, and feeble socio-economic conditions
in consequence makes the lives of women even complex. Amidst this despite the fact, that
intervention of social development organizations (NGOs) through women empowerment
projects contributing quite outstanding and inspiring results to achieve Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).

Desert region of Tharparker in Pakistan has a high population of women engaged in hand-
embroidery & indigenous craft activities for income generation after intervention of social
sector, The Thari woman lead towards self-confidence, sustainable and collective development
by engaging themselves to use their ancient craft into economic growth of their families. During
1990-2016, social development organizations (NGOs) taken initiatives to organized these
artisan women in groups, trained them in quality improvement, contemporary designs, colors,
latest fashion trends and entrepreneur skills, through continuous capacity building training
programmes. The initiative have proved as a unique platform for creating and enhancing
sustainable livelihoods for rural women artisans to earn a better living with self-respect and
hope in the droughty areas of Tharparker. The socio-economic uplift of women through these
programs is ultimate source of reaching in at least seven domain of SDGs as define to address
Poverty, hunger, health, education, decent work and economic growth , gender equality and
partnerships for the goals.

This paper presents the success story of initiative taken by social development organizations
(NGOs) working with women groups as an example of participatory, collective and sustainable
effort to accelerate women empowerment. Using seven case studies of these skilled women,
this paper presents the successful process of capacity building and inclusion of women in
various aspects of empowerment through handy craft based income generation projects which
turns to achieve roadmap towards SDGs. The paper establishes the fact that if women get
opportunities, exposure, support system, mentoring and proper capacity building they can be
the breadwinners, trendsetters, and change agents. They now speak against discrimination,
inequalities and motivate themselves to have a greater participation in decision-making, access
to information, develop life skills and confidence to indoctrinate entrepreneurship. The
indigenous art and craft become source of social change and by the time brings ultimate result
to achieve universal set of development goals by 2030.

Introduction
Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 2
In Pakistan, Women are always underprivileged then man, they get less education, food, health
and little contribution in decision making. As it is consider men are the lords of women, and
women are deprived from their basic rights. Women destiny is controlled by men resulting
women in Pakistan remain one of the most disadvantaged groups in society. Viewed against
almost all the indicators of development, women continue to lag behind to men. According to
the 2017 census of Pakistan, women constituting women are 48.6% per cent of the country’s
and males constitute 51% of the total. The society of Pakistan is no diverse from any other
parochial and male obsessed country, where the dominant patriarchal set-up seldom gives a
chance to the other half of human population to flourish and stand up for its own cause. Such
trend therefore, leads to a society that accord belittling position to women in practice.

Women’s access to literacy is more limited therefore every two women among three in
Pakistan are illiterate, The living conditions of women, their poverty and huge family household
prevent them from gaining education. As per social & culture fabric Since the beginning girls
are required to work with their mothers to look after the whole family and do household chores
this, therefore limits their time and energy to get involved in education. Since beginning women
face a lot of constraint and these restraints replicate women's difficulty in education; lack of
power and confidence and negotiating authority; as from their household they are misjudge
which effects in low self-respect plus with comparatively high participation in part-time or
transitory professions; leads to less employment for women and discrimination against them.

In term of gender equality, according to the Global Gender Gap report released at the World
Economic Forum (2016) Pakistan ranked at 134 out of 135 on the list of countries in which the
rights of women are suppressed. Considering health indicators, The infant mortality rate (IMR)is
still 89/1000 today, one woman dies due to the pregnancy complications every 20 minutes in
Pakistan. Around 55 percent of pregnant women in Pakistan do not have access to trained staff
or lady health visitors and most of them give birth to their children at home. Most of the
women lack choices and options. They are restricted by poverty, illiteracy, poor nutrition and
health care. Moreover, domestic violence and fear are facts of their lives. Lack of access to
reproductive health, education and services can often lead to vulnerability. They are also
limited in their notions of gender roles and lack in the understanding of reasons behind gender
discrimination.

Economic participation refers to contribution of females to workforce in quantitative terms as

with the passage of time and despite considerable work done on women economic enrichment
yet this is still time-consuming as due to many norms and practices women continue to be
missing from many important decision-making opportunities which result in the determining
the division of economic and financial resources and opportunity. The situation makes women
more undersupplied, therefore paid employment for women continues to expand slowly and
remains meager in Pakistan. The sector of women in salaried employment separate to the
agricultural segment has amplified only slightly over the years, this shows that women are not
getting work in productive jobs which can lead to development. Women employment record
shows more women in unorganized sector performing unskilled and lesser-paid jobs.

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 3

Despite women's increased participation in the labor market, there has been no significant
increase in the sharing of unpaid work, which affects women's employment choices. The low
status of women in the community is mostly due to the poor economic and social profile. In this
regard, it is important to mention that the employment record of women shows the high
contribution of women in unorganized sector and they have been considered as unskilled and
low wagers. Although women are major contributors to the survival of the family and are vital
and productive workers in Pakistan’s national economy, their contribution remains largely
unrecognized By accepting the lower status given to them, they also accept the stereotypes
that often restrict to express themselves and confine to a role that stifles sensitivity and
creativity. Women continue to labour under the brunt of oppressive traditions, exploitation,
lack of self-worth or identity and are routinely subjected to violence even at home. It is clear
now that women and society in general are in great need of self-introspection.

The intervention of social development organization and some government- lead development
projects are played a significance role to improve socio-economic conditions of women in
Tharparker specifically. Capacity building steps enhance their capability to work as a group and
play different roles necessary for maintenance and sustainability of group. Through these
innervations , the empowerment of women leads to benefits not only to the individual woman
but also to the families and community. As a whole through collective action for development,
considering empowerment of women as dynamic process that enabling women to realize their
full identify, a measurable result achieved in order to obtain sustainable development goals.
SDGs are refer as universal set of goals, targets and indicators that all UN member states are
expected to use to frame their development agendas and socio-economic policies during 2015-
2030 so that a sustainable and developed world will be possible .

In Tharparker, women’s level of confidence, awareness and pride on themselves were

substantially increased by virtue of their involvement and participation in income generating
programmes, women felt that income generating activities enhanced their status and
participation in decision-making process. leadership abilities are positively and significantly
related to income generation behavior. These initiative lead towards striving to achieve SDGs
in various aspect both in individual and collective level.

Women Empowerment specially rural women belongs to Hindu Community enabling to utilize
their indigenous craft to uplift their socio-economic conditions and ultimate moving towards
achieving sustainable development goals. From the point of the individual and group/
community; several strategies and interventions are employed to improve consciousness
among people, at grassroots levels for improving their living conditions, and internal disposition
to initiate action for enacting social change.

Aims and Objectives

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 4

The paper highlights some of key interventions as carryout to become success story of several
women group of artisans across Tharparker as this is an example of participatory, collective
and organizational support that how through Capacity building and inclusion of women in
different areas leads to enhancement of various aspects of empowerment like developing their
life skills, improve and access of education, health facility, food & improved nutrition addition
and most importantly obtaining gender equality. Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) aims
to investigate core issues, challenges and impact of women empowerment initiatives in Thar to
address SDGs, this research study will play an instrumental role to re-focus and strengthen
institutional moves towards achieving SDGs in comprehensive and consolidate form.

The research paper establishes the fact that the community based small actions can also help
in creating the platform of opportunities for poor rural women artisans towards sustainable
livelihoods and better life choice. The research paper argues that if women get revelation,
motivational capacity building trainings. Networking opportunities and proper support system
they can be the breadwinners, trendsetters, and change agents not only individual or
community but global level such as SDGs .

The research paper also focus to review of enhancing personality, inculcating leadership and
decision making power that strengthening self-respect among them. Using seven case studies
of rural women artisans from desert region of Tharparker, this paper presents the successful
process of capacity building and inclusion of women in various aspects of empowerment
through embroidery and handy craft, micro credit based income generation projects. This
paper will help policy makers, developmental professionals and practitioners in order to
understand the importance of building women’s capacities to improve their socioeconomic
status, which can significantly improve their skills, leadership, self-esteem for empowerment
and income generation that lead improving indicator to achieve sustainable development
goals(SDGs).

The objectives of the paper are :

1. To develop and analyze case studies of seven women artisans who joined NGOs &
government-lead small enterprises as a livelihood alternative, supporting their families,
trendsetters, leading a improved life, and acting as change agents in the community.

2. To prominence the need for women empowerment through regular capacity building for
their socio-economic development to achieve sustainable development goals(SDGs) by 2030.

3. To comprehend the status and potential of rural women of Tharparker in Pakistan .

Significance of the Paper

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 5

Women empowerment is effected more by economic factors, like wise age at marriage and
education in tertiary sector, if female gets more paid and salaried jobs and are given the same
rank as man, this will not only reduce gender disparity but also will have positive significant
impact on women empowerment. There is a need to empower women through an informed
approach whereby women become able to organise themselves to increase their self-reliance,
to assert their independent rights to make choices and to control resources, which will assist in
challenging and eliminating their own subordination. In order to ameliorate the conditions of
rural women artisans, the nongovernmental, government and international organizations
initiated various programmes. Socio-economic empowerment of women can be done through
efficient and effective skill training programs for them. This will give them the financial stability
of women through imparting skills in different trades.

Women also have right to make choices to determine their life decision, Moreover, they can
certainly develop the capabilities to make choices and learn to make their preference by gaining
socio-economic stability, which will lead and ensure developing in them the realization of self-
respect and self-esteem, creating and supportive mutual relationships, expanding their skills
and access to resources, analysis of the situation, decisions making, leadership, problem solving
and power to negotiate.

A comprehensive national goal should be set to train women for using new technologies and
understand markets so that they could become successful as entrepreneurs. The skilled and
confident women are real change maker and agent to attain sustainable development goals.

Methodology

The study was administrate in the chosen villages of Tharparker district , The desert region is a
part of Mirpurkhas division. Mithi city is its headquarter. The Muslim and Hindu population are
in majority. The Hindus are 36% and Muslims are 62% of total population. At the time of
independence Hindus were 80% and Muslims were 20% in proportion. Total estimated
population of district is 2265000 persons. The area is driest region of the country as the vast
deserted area have extreme temperatures and stunted plant life. Desert people struggle to
earn their livelihood as the options of source of income are very few in the region, This has
had severe repercussions of the natural environment of Thar. Due to poverty and hunger, the
socio- economic condition of the region is vulnerable specially for women .

The paper covers sample of seven respondents, As they were selected rationally on the basic
of their profile, achievements, practices and affiliation of any development initiative carry out

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 6

on behalf of NGOs and Government led project of women empowerment. Organization
identified and nominated these women to be documented.

The method adopted to persuade the study’s aims objectives relies on qualitative analysis
methods, leading to extend seven case studies. The study used both primary and secondary
data. The primary data were collected from in person interviews, briefings and meetings.
Secondary data were collected from books, research papers articles, journals, official
documents and institutional websites. All the information and data collected were significantly
examined and described in order to counter the research objectives.

The tools used for the paper were personal interviews, Focus Group Discussion (FDGs),
observations, and one-one meeting with officials. The respondents were interviewed
individually to gather the information and the relevant data. The data collected is contain
background information of respondent, initiation into the craft, problems and difficulties
encountered, overcoming strategies, collaboration and interventions of different NGOs and
government lead projects and special focus on respondent’s role as a community leader. The
data also refers different aspect of women life such as income pattern, scalability, sociability,
decision making, participation in community works, level of confidence, family life, future vision
for herself, family and community. Sustainability and contributing development goals as a
ultimate results of the intervention were prime focus of the data.

Background of Thari Women as a indigenous

The hard-hitting territory of Tharparker of Pakistan makes the life of women even tougher, but
the journey of development initiatives bring up remarkable and inspiring stories of achievement
and progress for women of Thar. Ahead of the dark blur of poverty, there is immense horizon of
creativity of craft, local wisdom and hardworking. Thousands of women weave new ideas and
patching their dreams into new horizon.

For women, embroidery and hand-made crafting activities played a prime role by contributing
significantly to the household income. As far as income generation is concerned, desert folks
usually prefer to do off-farm and non-farm activities like weaving, embroidery, spinning, dying,
block-printing, woodwork and other handicrafts.
Since 1990 to 2016, Tharparker witness many development intervention on behalf of local,
national, international NGOs and Government owned development programs. These initiatives
of women empowerment programs are great source of bringing prosperity and uplift socio-
economic condition of women in Tharparker.

They are continuing with their indigenous and traditional embroidery and handy craft skills
with the contemporary designs, colors emerging into modern fashion and updated clothing
trends. Today, Tharparker- the desert region has a high population of women engaged in

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 7

embroidery activities, micro credit schemes to run their small enterprises for income
generation. They are skilled, they embroider beautifully, and they know how to make their
traditional craft into modern patterns. They laugh, sing, and weave the threads of colors and
designs simultaneously to create and produce beautiful hand - made stuff . They work to earn
money for food, fodder and fuel in order to meet the daily demands of the lives of their
families. They priorities to obtain education and health facilities for their families. With the
connection of sustainable development goals – a universal set of development agenda aimed to
achieve by 2030 by all UN countries, Tharparker emerges as a progressive example leading to
obtain some of indicators of SDGs accomplishment.
Empowerment is a process of awareness and capacity building, leading to greater participation,
to greater decision-making power, control over transformative action, individual effort and
collective wisdom and skilled women of Tharparker pursuing this empowerment.

Case I: Leelan

“Skills can never let them hunger”

Leelan age 38, is head of her house and living in village Hathrai of UC Dabhro she has 3 children,
which are below 10 year of age. She lives in her a straw mud house and she was facing very
hard days to feed to her children because her husband has not any earning source due to the
drought and was feeling helpless to live for a better survival.

Her husband was a farmer and working on landlords field but due to recently drought there is
no any agrarian work at field and no any access to daily wages labour and get very much credit
to fulfils the daily requirement of family and feeling very depression and stress for the future of
family. Leelan is a very expert artisan of art work but there is nothing to purchase the materials
and sell out product into market because they usually receive very low rates of product and
very far from her village and traveling cost is also much higher than the net profit.

She express his wishes while signing the Agreement of working of handicrafts and hope that
this is only a single way to support the family during these hard days. She expressed that, “My
family is in trouble and I am only source of income for my family. Most of time, we hardly have
one time meal to eat”

An NGO, based in Thar provided a training on color combination and market linkages and
provided a handicraft toolkit for making different products like hand bag, shoulder bag and

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 8

cushions. She prepared as per said designed and sell out into market and get fair wages for
their products and also receive cheque of 5000 PKR in form of Conditional cash grants. She
found a ways to replicate the design and linked with market to continue this art work for better
survival for her family and she wished education for her child and better future and light of
hope can be seen in the eye through this small assistance, In the handicraft tool kit, SF provided
me all above material which is worth of 1000 rupees. Besides, they further delivered me
cheque of 5000 rupees. The team have also trained me through color combination training for
its proper use, so that I could get maximum benefit from it.

“She is very happy and excited about this help & assistance and also optimistic that she will
earn more from this because she has permanent source of income. She never had dreamt to
stand by this kind of support from any other source. Having smile on her face, she thanks to the
organization for such a timely needed assistance.

Case II: Chandan

“The Purpose of our lives is to be happy”

Chandan is belongs to Baghario village Tehsil Diplo Tharparker, she is head of her house, she
has 8 children, 4 sons & 4 daughters and all are below 15 years of age. Chandan’s husband
name is Saarang who hardly earns just 150 rupees per day, which is not a permanent. They
have just 3 goats, which are given by someone else for fostering purpose. Her husband also has
most of the time no work to do, so he has no source of income for livelihood. Her house is built
up of mud straw hut and containing one room and no boundary wall for her house protection.

The family of Chandan faces acute survival issues due to unemployment of her husband and
drought for last five years, the family faces food problem and Scarcity of proper nutrition for
the family because they don’t have any proper livelihood source.

When her husband had a better earning from daily wages work, she was very satisfied with her
life and before drought conditions. They had proper shelter/house before drought. They also
had much source of livelihood to earn but due to lack of earning and income sources, things
were getting worst day by day because of lacking in nutrition & livelihood. The main problem of
Neeta & her family is a better survival for her life and her children life.
“We were suffering from hunger, poverty & drought in these day but a Foundation team came
and helped us in these needy days”

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 9

Initially Livelihood/Handicraft team of the organization selected the most vulnerable of
drought affected of Union Councils Dhabro of Tehsil Diplo, District Tharparker with the help of
VDO members at our village.
The livelihood & Livestock support team conducted the Focus group discussions in the
respective UC Daabro and formed the VDO then identified the most vulnerable persons of the
villages. Chandan , a very poor and helpless woman reaching in the selection criteria, so the
team visited her house and filled her assessment form for Handicraft/Embroidery Kit. Then, she
received the kit. Chandan had a severe problem of her children’s food and better livelihood, so
she is currently doing a better handicraft work supported by SF/CWW team and feeling much
better than before, as she had been living in very hard days but scenario is quite different now.

“Currently I am doing my handicraft and embroidery work and selling it to the city market for
my children better livelihood. Moreover I have been buying flour and other grocery of my
house to fulfill the requirements of daily needs” She told as she is quite happy and excited
about this help & assistance and is much hopeful that she will earn more from this help of
conditional cash grant & toolkit because she has permanent source of income. She never had
dreamt to stand by this kind of support from any other source. She thanks to the organization
for such a grave needed assistance.

Case III: Meena Bai

“Life is struggle to strive for better livelihood”

Meena Bai is a very poor & marginalized woman of her village Seengalo, UC Kachoo. Her
husband name is Naaleimtho, who is a wood cutter but he ill now, who used to go to the forest
outside at his village daily and he hardly earned 150 per day but nowadays, he is T.B patient.
They have two children, who do not go to school.

She tells the tragic story of her life, where her family has been facing many difficulties &
hardships. We sometimes even do not have one time meal for our children at our home.
Moreover, due to T.B course of her husband, they sold out all of their goats, which were a
better source of milk and daily household incomes but we sold out due to continue T.B courses
to complete.

“It is the talk of past good memories, when we were passing our days with a better livelihood
sources, when there were annually rainfalls in our area of Tharparker and our lands were fertile
but due to no rains since last five years, we are facing many difficulties nowadays”, Meena Bai
describes her heart-rending story with shedding tears in her eyes.

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 10

A social development organization visited the village Seengalo, where team held a meeting with
villagers and advised the villagers to form a (Village development org) VDO in their village.
Moreover, with the help of VDO office bearers, field team filled the household assessment of
each household.

Meena Bai told that she knew about handicraft/embroidery work, therefore if I am provided
then I shall be thankful to the organization as my family is crossing through some financial
problems, so I shall start working on handicraft items.

Furthermore, Meena Bai was selected as a handicraft beneficiary; she was given handicraft
toolkit, which was worth of 1000 and she was given training on color combination, so that she
must be able to work properly on handicraft items. After training, she was also granted 5000
rupees through L cheque. She said that I would continue my handicraft work for more earning.
The greatest satisfaction for Meena Bai and her group members is that they work in their
homes. Their own homes are their work place and they earn with dignity.

“Currently I am doing my handicraft and embroidery work and selling it to nearby city market
and spending good days nowadays. Moreover I have been buying flour and other grocery of my
house to fulfill the requirements of daily needs of my children.
I am very happy with my family about this help & assistance and also optimistic that I will earn
more from this handicraft because I have a better permanent source of income. Her formal
education is only of second standard but she confidently uses words like sampling, courier,
cash, design, payment, color matching, bank, saving, road, city, cooler etc. I had never dreamt
for such a good kind of support from any other source, as the organization did it to me by
supporting me during my vulnerable condition”

Case IV: Momal

“I will improve my life by my hands, needle and thread”

Momal is 18 years old girl from the village Vejhyar Taluka Chachro, Tharparker, she is
unmarried but engaged at the age of 10, living with 6 siblings and parents in small mud
house. Her family was extremely poor as her father who is only bread winner for the family
could not able to do more labors work, his total income of one day is 150-200 rupees only.
Momal’s Mather also suffering in several abdomen problem and faces health issues. There
is no alternative way of the family to survive and fulfill the basic need of their lives.
In 2012, A development organization “one village one product” initiative by PPAF-LEP
visited the area and identify the house hold as most needy and disadvantage, she has been
included in group formulated by organization and start capacity building of young girls and
women of the village, embroidery was the only means of survival though they were
exploited from the middlemen who were given minimum labour of their work, the

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 11

 organization start mentoring and trained them about market excess , marketing and
negotiation skills. These capacity building exercises make them realize about modern
designing and drafting methods of embroidery, they learn about color combinations, fabric
and matching stuff usage to meet urban fashion trends with touch of traditional and
indigenous craft. They also learnt that how to run a small business and marketing methods.
Soon after the project intervention, many women of the village started their own staff to
be prepared and access to market directly. This initiatives bring drastic change into
women’s life specially Momal who become a successful entrepreneur and her monthly
earning now is in between 3500-6000 Rs. Per month. She now says “My hoppy become
source of smile for my entire family”
The growing demand of her product of indigenous embroidery stuff, contributes most of
her family basic needs such as education, food supplement, access to health facilities and
over all well being of entire family. As a major bread earner of her family, now Momal has
some privilege and sense of ownership, as she freely contributes in family’s decision
making, she express her thoughts freely and earn deep sense of equality and respect with
in her family and community. There is old custom of early marriage in entire Tharparker/
community, but she convinced her family not to get merry marry until she turns 20 years, as
she supposed that at the age of teens, child birth become complicated. She wants to
improve and exceeds her business with upcoming years so that she can lead a good and
prosperous life for herself and entire family

Case V: Sohni

“Building my life - One stitch up at a Time”

Sohni moved to Umerkot when her husband, Sohni, could no longer support their family of
nine, due to an acute water shortage which affected his orchard in Lasar Malhi. In Umerkot,
Sohni found it impossible to begin any business without an initial investment, which she could
not afford to make. This was a time of great financial pressure for her family as she had been
relocated to a new place with no support structural and no family income to rely on.
When Sohni heard of the Urban Micro-Credit Programme of a development organization, she
decided to apply for a loan to make her family financially independent. She took a loan of Rs.
10,000 to buy five sewing machines, with which she began a sewing centre for girls. Sohni and
her daughters started teaching sewing skill to a number of girls in different shifts, where each
student paid Rs. 40 a month. They also started stitching clothes for the women in the
neighborhood for an additional income.
In the beginning, Sohni and her family bought all the raw material they needed from the retail
market. As they realized that their profit margins were much smaller because e of their retail
purchases of cloth, thread, laces, etc. they decided to buy all the more commonly required
material in bulk from Hyderabad at wholesale rates. For this they applied for and received an

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 12

additional loan of Rs. 15,000. They followed this successful investment with another injection
of Rs. 20,000 once the second cycle finished.
Today: Sohni and her family have a monthly profit of Rs. 10,000 from this business which along
with their eldest son's income allows them to live comfortably and put aside some savings.
Sohni is saving some of her income to ensure that her daughters can be married o{f well and
she has taught them that planning and dedication are essential to build a better future for
themselves and their families. The overall well being of her family is improved, education, food
and health facilities become more affordable and accessible. She stood in her community as a
leader, she encourage women to learn modern style of traditional craft to enhance its value
and demand, she is concern about health related issues of her community and make o ensures
proper vaccination of every child and proper care of older people of the village. She tries to
inculcate self-respect as a value in every woman. She has become an excellent entrepreneur.
She visits each household and inspects cleanliness and hygiene. The journey with the
organization that transformed the lives of the community women. Now, there is a school for
children in the village, and also water course. Men-folk of their village do not sit idle now; they
help the women-folk, take care of the children and families, listen to their women and accept
their importance and roles as bread earners.

Case VI: Mithro

“Patching together an Enterprises”

Mithro , belongs to the Kohli community, who have traditionally relied on the charity of other
community members to survive. Up until 4 years ago, Mithro would beg for leftover food from
her neighbors to feed her children. Mithro and her husband, Puhnal , struggled to feed
themselves and their three young sons. Her husband go around his neighborhood asking for
charity. He could receive flour, old clothes or some money, Some day he would come back
empty handed and the whole family would go to bed hunger . One day when things were
particularly difficult, Mitro gave her husband a rilli (Sindhi patch work quilt) and asked him to
sell it in the city, Puhnal headed to the city bus stand and sold the rilli immediately for Rs. 100
to a passenger on an outbound bus. Other women on the bus asked for more rillies and Puhnal
assured them that he would have more in a few days. Puhnal purchased cloth for Rs. 30 and
food for the remaining amount and headed home with the beginning of Mithro's rilli-making
business.

A year later Mithro obtained a Rs. 5.000 loan from a Development organization from its micro
credit Programe and expanded her rilli - making business and also drafting and designing

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 13

training to make her product more beautiful. Her sales are approximately Rs. 50,000 per
month and she provides employment to 12 more women in her village . At the beginning ,
Mithro made all the rillies herself and her husband sold them in Umerkot city. Initially, Puhnal
purchased the material for the rillies on a daily basis but now he purchases the material
weekly or fortnightly in bulk. Now, Mithro able to provide education to her children by using
her family income, Moreover, she and her husband set a powerful example for their
community demonstrating how even poor, illiterate people, who are traditionally reliant on
charity can become successful entrepreneurs.

Following the example of using the handy craft skill to eradicate her poverty, community have
started similar handicraft business after being inspired by Mithro and Puhnal and about 150
women from her community are working for her as subcontractor . All these people from the
Kohli community no longer depend on the charity of others to feed themselves and their
children because of one women entrepreneurial spirit.

Case VII: Hajan

“Promoting of Artisan Craft of variety and diversity

Hajan and her family were subsistence farmers in a small village called Dalan-Jo-Tar,
until they migrated to Mithi some twenty years ago in the hope of economic prosperity.
When they first moved to Mithi, Hajan's husband, Viso, started work as a tailor at a
fabric store but they found it difficult to meet their expenses, as they had to run their
household and send their six children to school. Then, in 2000, the residents of their village
organized to contact a national organization to access small business loans.

Hajan utilized this opportunity and took a loan of Rs. 10,000 to purchase a good
Quality sewing machine. After the complete repayment of the first loan cycle, Hajan took
another loan of Rs. 20,000 in 2002 to open a cloth shop in her house where she
stocked some cloth for retail and embroidered handicrafts made by women artesian from her
village , As time passed, Hajan and her husband focused more on the handicraft as the
organization told them that there was great market potential for such work. The organization
also develop linkages and market access along some exposure visits to get more knowledge for
new trends and designing patterns as well as entrepreneur skills.
An exposure to the outer world, capacity building trainings, keeping their interaction with
organization’s officials, designers and buyers enabled them to see the world in a wider
perspective. This experience is very exciting for them.

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 14

Hajan, currently expended her business into other cities of Pakistan, she has used her
indigenous handy craft skill to bring prosperity in her own and family life.
More than 200 women directly beneficiary of this medium enterprise and changing their lives.
She wants s that every girl should go to school and after the school young girls should attend
the training sessions of embroidery conducted under her own supervision. She efficiently trains
young girls and ensures the quality of produce prepared by the young trainees and future
entrepreneurs.

Findings

The paper dealing with Rural women artisan’s capability and improved socio - economic status
in Tharparker thus tries to explore various layers of improved development indicators.
On the basis of seven case studies of women artisans it is found that handy craft that emerge
as a small scale enterprise has brought visible socio-economic changes in the lives of the poor
women artisans. The social change in their communities, gender awareness and women’s equal
status with men is quite visible. Rising sense of awareness and confidence and the feeling of
ownership and equality among craft women as pursue her role of contributor of family income.
Consecutively over a decade, taken Initiatives and interventions from development
organizations and government –lead programs brings measurable and sustainable change. It is
fascinating to see the women of the village are more aware about her capabilities, rights and
worth. The indigenous skill and traditional craft that woman of Tharparker possess since ages
becoming source to bring real change at grass root level and somehow ultimate consequential
to improve indicators of achieving Sustainable development goals.

Conclusion

Indigenous craft and traditional skill become instrument to achieve development and women
have immense potential to lead the development agenda by utilizing her in-born and in-built
traits. Time to re-view, re-shuffle and re-bound development innervations in more consolidate
form to explore hidden treasure of hope, prosperity and integrity of Tharparker.

References

1.Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PSB) 2017

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 15

2. Bari, Farzana and Khattak, Saba Gul (2001), “Power Configuration in Public and Private
Arenas: The Women’s Movement’s Response”, in Anita M, Weiss and S. Zulfiqar Gilani (eds.)
Power and Civil Society in Pakistan, Karachi: Oxford University Press.

3. Isran, Samina and Isran Manzoor (2012), “Patriarchy and Women in Pakistan: A Critical
Analysis”, Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(6): 835-859.

4.SDPI (2007-2008), Pakistan: Country Gender Profile, Islamabad, [Online: web] Accessed on 20
Jul. 2016, URL: http://www.jica.go.jp/pakistan/english/office/others/pdf/ CGP_01.pdf

5.UN (2013), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women,
“Concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of Pakistan adopted by the Committee
at its fifty fourth session”, URL: www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/docs/.../CEDAW
.C.PAK.CO.4.do...

6.Status of Women in Pakistan 205 UNDP (2016), “Human Development Report 2016”,
Accessed on 17 Oct. 2013, URL: http:// http://hdrstats.undp.org/images/explanations/pak.pdf.

7. https://www.politicpk.com/tharparkar-district-uc-list-mna-mpa-seats

8. Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD), (2016), A Handbook of Statistical

Indicators of Pakistani Women, , Accessed on 29 March 2010

9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tharparkar_District

10. http://historypak.com/tharparkar-the-heart-of-thar-desert/

11. Projects, Programs and interventions by following organizations studied and reviewed.

o Sukkar Foundation
o Sami Foundation
o PPAF (Pakistan Poverty Elevation Fund)
o USAID
o TRDP ( Thar deep Rural Development Programe )
o UNICEF
o Women development department – Govt of Sindh
o Jafakush Programe by Government of Pakistan
o AWARE organization

Research Paper on SDGs – Shelter Participatory Organization (SPO) 2017 16