The EU Ambassador Jean-François Cautain, along with his wife, Sonia Cautain on Saturday visited the ongoing Sartyoon Sang Crafts Exhibition at Dolmen Mall, Karachi, organized by Sindh Rural Support Organization with collaboration of Sindh Government.
Speaking on the occasion, Ambassador Cautain appreciated the work of rural women artisans and their dedication for commitment to the cause of development.
He said that several EU- poverty reduction programs are being implemented with support of Sindh Government. These programs are being implemented by Sindh Rural Support Organization and Rural Support Program Network in different districts of Sindh. The Ambassador along with his wife, Ms Sonia Cutain, exhibited keen interests in hand made items and lauded the efforts of SRSO to empowering the rural women artisans.
The handicrafts and artefacts help create harmony among different cultures
On the second day of exhibitions, thousands of local and foreigners visited the exhibition where work of around 3,545 women artisans from the different districts of Sindh was displayed. The exhibition aimed to provide market linkages to rural women and artisans. The EU Ambassador also appreciated the endeavours of Sindh Government for poor and destitute community. He expected that such spirits would continue in future.
According to Mr Cutain, the handicrafts and artefacts help create harmony among different cultures. Appreciating the exhibition, she said, arranging such an activity to promote artisans, handicrafts and Sindh’s culture was a great effort being made by SRSO also. In an exquisite style, traditional crafts have been displayed, a wide mixture of Sindh’s handicrafts made by rural women are exhibited, including home textiles, basketry, jewellery, dresses, dupattas and shawls, embellished with traditional embroidery and cutwork. These events aimed to boost the local crafts and begin a sturdy process for connecting our Business Development Groups (BDGs) and artisans to high end market of Karachi.
This is purely an effort to develop market opportunities for rural women especially those from extremely remote villages of northern Sindh and the profit being earned from these exhibitions is transferred to these artisans.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO), SRSO, Muhammad Dittal Kalhoro told that the event’s objective was to facilitate better incomes for women artisans of rural Sindh. “We have trained more than 12,000 women from some of the most under developed regions of Jacobabad, Kandhkot-Kashmore, Shikarpur, Ghotki, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Khairpur and Sukkur to help these women gain maximum monetary benefit from their skills.
