When I look at my childhood, all I remember is working with my family to make ends meet. Living with my eight siblings, early on, I had to learn to work hard. I learnt the skills of embroidery. I learn to survive on very little. I started to learn embroidery early on as I had […]

One fine morning, Razia woke up to a dead husband in her bed. It was twenty years ago. Her life shattered. She had eight kids, and her husband was the sole bread earner of the family. She woke up to a reality where she had no means to take care of her kids or herself. […]

Growing up Ruqqaya didn’t know where her next meal is coming from. Her father died early when she was mere a child. Her uncle took her in and she started working on his Ajrak making small business with her mother and aunty. She learnt the printing of beautiful and intricate designs when she was a […]

Nine years ago, in a small village of Name Shah Feisal colony, Zareen started her embroidery. It was hard at first. She took a while to learn the basic skills. Since, she had masters in Urdu, the education paid off as in she was quick to learn the skills via internet and other resources. She […]

Living in a valley with harshest winters with her husband and three daughters, Fouzia Saeed had to start earning early to survive and raise a family. She would sell dry fruits to sustain and educate her daughters. She sent all her daughters to schools and they are now educated. Two of the university graduates and […]

Imagine living with six kids at a home where one sided is a fully functional carpet weaving activity. Living far away from Quetta city has never been easy according to Durkhane. As basic communication methods hardly work in many cities and villages of Baluchistan. Producing carpets every day, with minimum communication with the outside world […]

My name is Atta Illahi and I am from Bahawalpur Punjab. I am the oldest of four siblings. My family always struggled with finances. I had to leave school in the middle to work. While working, I learnt the art of embroidery making. I would make stuff for my home and people liked them. And […]

I am Rubaha Chowdry, and I have been married for a long time now. I have three kids, two girls and a boy. I always wanted to help people. I guess it comes from my dad. He was always helping people around, when we were barely financially stable. It helped me growing up with developing […]

Mughal Empire created art that was intricate and could withstand time and harsh weather. The traces of the art are still around and still hold the immense beauty that it holds. In far fledged area of northern Pakistan, an artist is getting the very much needed recognition. Shazia Nawab is a mosaic artist who works […]

Belonging to an Ajrak artisans’ family, Wasandi was also married to an Ajrak artist at a very young age. Her ancestors are the great custodians of Ajrak from Bhit Shah that is a remote and underprivileged area in Sindh, where Ajrak has been the only source of income for this family for generations. She has […]