Daily Times

Made in Alipur is a community organization, which works for the welfare of rural women. It was founded in 2022 by Amina Kanju. For the past three years, Amina has been residing in her village, working towards the economic empowerment of the rural women in her village in a way to secure their livelihoods and rights.

After completing her school, she went abroad to Europe for her higher studies in 2012.She has been a part of various volunteer programs with United Nations.

Amina never really got to spend a lot of time in her ancestral village before. It was actually during the pandemic in 2020 she moved in her country home in Alipur located in the southern province of Pakistan.

Made in Alipur is not a factory and it does not like to be referred to as one.

“I found severe poverty in my village people were distress specially women who most of the times had no money to put food on their tables and their husbands would be away in search of work. The Poor education system, devastating health and living conditions, no well sanitation facilities, these all made me realize of my privileges and I somehow I felt responsible to bring the change.”

Made in Alipur initially started with a group of 11 women and today over 300 women are a part of it. Its a skill training center where women are taught various skills such a as hand embroidery, pottery, sewing, shoe and Jewellery designing. At made in Alipur women not only are trained in various hand craft skills but are also taught basic education. Empowering girls aiming to provide them with the education they rightly deserve.

“Girls attendance in school drops to a low during harvest season. They contribute to care work at home, looking after the young and the ill, and stepping in for the mother if she is pregnant, nursing or sick. When there is much unpaid labour to be done, education is a luxury for a young daughter. This is not to say that social norms or parental reluctance are the reasons for low enrolment and high dropouts of girls. Equally, and more responsible is the State. The quality of education is poor, even for rural households, and may appear to rural parents as being not related to their lives.”

Made in Alipur has recently initiated job oriented diplomas for the women who couldn’t go to school. She believes it’s very important to empower women, as the economy grows and employment rate rises when women own businesses.

“Women comprise approximately half of the total population of Pakistan and most of them live in the rural areas. They are mainly engaged in farming and other agricultural activities. They do most of their labour as unpaid family workers. Its very important to educate them and support them for equal rights if we want to prosper as a successful nation.”

Made in Alipur has been collaborating with various Pakistani local brands and artists such as Lama, Beygum Bano and BTW to promote the work of female artisans. It has been giving a platform to the rural women to present their work where it deserves.

“These women do some great work which needs recognition and appreciation. It’s a pleasure to see them work with so much commitment and love. These collaborations with the renowned brands has got them the confidence and happiness they truly deserve.”

Made in Alipur is not a factory and it does not like to be referred to as one. They are female led social enterprise empowering women through avenue of ethical fashion. The women control their working hours, their holiday and decide what their day looks like. They believe in supporting women’s agency and acknowledging that they have personal and family responsibilities that must also fit into their day. Cultural heritage plays an important in their everyday life. They dedicate time to cultural practices and celebrations that are important to their artisans and the wider community. They only work with natural fibres and environmentally friendly materials and practices. Sustainability is a core value and this means working in harmony with nature and having a positive footprint. Made in Alipur will be launching their website soon with the aim to introduce the Rural women with modern technology and thus support them to sell their products well.

Moreover, Amina with her team at Made in Alipur have also been creating awareness among all the rural women against doemestic violence. She has encouraged women to stand up for their rights and condemned domestic violence.

“Harassment and violence against women, whether in the home, workplace and in public spaces needs to be addressed beyond passage of laws so that women and their families do not forego opportunities for social, economic and political participation and growth. Rural women have less access to technologies, to public services and little, if any, social protection and are more likely to experience gender based violence.

Women of Alipur are string, empowered women who all have diverse stories and voices. They are so much more than just the face behind the garment and they hope their Collaborators recognize this. Each women has been on their own unique journey. Made in Alipur is a space where each woman supports one another irrespective of background, religion, caste. While they are a collective, their women have a unique story and a vibrant personality that is woven through every piece of fabric.

The writer is OpEd Editor (Daily Times) and can be reached at durenayab786@gmail.com. She tweets @DureAkram