The Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI) has announced that it will launch a rural women’s brand called “Sughar” on Wednesday (tomorrow) at Palm Karachi, in partnership with a fashion show called Mehndi Extravaganza of Parkha Khan.
According to a statement issued by the PDI-Karachi on Monday, Sughar creates stylish embroidery products made by rural women, in the form of embroidered hand bags, dresses and hand clutches each one of which shares the theme of traditions and folklore by reflecting in its embroidery a story of the ancient times or a tradition still followed in those rural communities.
For the first time in the fashion industry of Pakistan, a rural woman would walk side by side with the great fashion designers in Pakistan showcasing her work, which would not only boost her confidence but empower these women socially and economically.
“The plan is to empower these women not by sympathy but empathy and self respect, and this is only possible if they know that they capable of being respected”, said Khalida Brohi of the Sughar Women Programme.
The word Sughar, meaning skilled and confident women, used in most of the languages spoken in Pakistan, is chosen as the brand name by the rural women to portray the right message for unleashing the potential of women and empowering them from right within. Sughar plans to be the first of its kind brand which is created, designed and owned by the rural women from small villages inside Pakistan.