National News

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).

from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2SRLPwp

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