National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage, Lok Virsa, has started training of master artisans to create opportunities for skilled artisans and workers. The training is part of a series of workshops with five batches each of the 14-day workshops. The first batch focusses on the field of textiles. Master artisans involved in various kinds of textiles from all parts of the country, including Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan, are participating in the workshop. Fazal-e-Wahab (Swati Lungi), Alam Khan (Swati Shawl), Shah Behram (Taghar Weaving), Rashida ( Hazara Jasti), Rashida (Hazara Phulkari from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Tehmina Perveen (Gota Kinari), Surayya Abdullah (Tie Dye), Noor Muhammad (Khaddar Weaving), Haseena Bibi (Khussa Making), Ameer Bakhsh (block printing), Bushra Habib (embroidery) Hafeez Nasir, Siani Khatoon, Amanullah (Khes Weaving), Ms Paree, Halima and Qasim (Daree Weaving), Abdul Hayee and Arbab Ali Soomro (Ajrak block printing from Sindh), Sultana (Hunza embroidery from Gilgit Baltistan) and Mukhtar Ahmed (Namda and Gabba Weaving from Azad Kashmir) are among the participants.
The first session started with the training package GALS (Gender Action Learning System) and group management. GALS system is especially devised for those men and women who intend to make their lives better, enhance love, happiness and social justice among their family members etc.
The instructors gave lectures to the artisans using visual materials, charts and artisans were also involved in various interesting activities. The idea behind these activities is to boost the confidence of the artisans so that they could plan about their lives in a better way and to step forward through gender justice. The series of master artisans training workshops have been arranged under the aegis of SUNGI Development Foundation, Lok Virsa, GIZ, DAACHI and Beacon House National University. The project is the brainchild of SUNGI Development Foundation which has not only conceived and conceptualized but also materialised this endeavour. Lok Virsa (National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage), a specialised body charged with the mandate of collecting, documenting, preserving and projecting the rich cultural heritage of Pakistan, has provided all its infrastructure, including venue, buildings, halls, shops etc. for the purpose.
GIZ, a German donor firm, is looking after all the financial aspects for the project while DAACHI has provided technical expertise, including instructors, designers etc. for the training.
