A Stitch To ‘Mend The Bond’
Not many women in Pakistan get the opportunity to become entrepreneurs due to increased challenges in finance and market. Speaking of disadvantaged women, statistics relating the participation of women in the labor force in the country are deplorable. A country like ours is troubled not only by the external enemy but there is an enemy within — quite literally — which is the Pakistani mindset. There are a lot of underprivileged minorities in Pakistan who need to be provided adequate opportunities to improve their livelihood. As an entrepreneur, I care about transgenders/intersex communities, victims of sexual abuse, unemployed women and marginalized women. I believe that these women can greatly contribute to the progress of the country by using their talents and earning a respectable livelihood.
Unfortunately, women in Pakistan are deprived of opportunities and platforms that can greatly affect their sense of purpose. For a majority of them, life passes away with no chance to prove to themselves that they were more than just the roles defined by men. Talent and skill is the biggest weapon against poverty, in my opinion. Women emancipation as laborers equally capable as men will open avenues to economic growth. Women are limited to roles like housekeeping and care-taking, which by all means is necessary but it surely is not enough.
I want to develop a Pakistan based western and eastern apparel brand that hires people who have stitching expertise from disadvantaged backgrounds. This would allow us to meet national goals by having all communities on board, so that we can develop stronger domestic market as well. I was pretty young when I wanted to be a fashion designer, but I could not pursue a degree due to lack of support. Now that I look back, I think it happened for the best as my Literature degree, the setting of my university in the traditional Anarkali bazaar, the sight of the poor near the campus and the increased space for community work allowed me to grow a deeper sense of the profession. I have learnt to better understand my surroundings and what is needed of me more as a citizen, and that has made all the difference.
Since the brand will also be a means of income, I will generate revenue through sales of the clothing items. The profits will help me to develop on my ideas and apply creativity to create unique clothes. I also think it is very important for our country to support domestic brands more so that our market is not threatened by foreign brands. Therefore, I want to develop a high-end brand that does not compromise on quality and is also acclaimed internationally.
The problems that I have identified in my project are poverty, unemployment and lack of minority empowerment. The purpose of combining my passion of fashion designing with these problems is so that I can not just develop a business but also bring value to it, and to the stakeholders. I hope that through this project, I can bring honor and integrity to the workers who needed someone to recognize them in a sea of talent.
