Beyond Borders: Confluence of Skills, Creative Expression, and Emerging Futures
Since 2015, Kaarvan Crafts Foundation and the British Asian Trust have been working together to transform rural communities by driving innovation across multiple fronts. These efforts encompass skilling, business development, and establishing crucial market linkages, all while raising awareness and enhancing access to constitutional law, human rights, and digital literacy. Additionally, our initiatives address climate action and health and well-being, fostering sustainable livelihoods and empowering individuals to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
An important aspect of our livelihoods work is that we don’t focus on only one element in isolation. Enhancing skilling for our artisans is as important as connecting them with market linkages, creating opportunities for them to showcase their work and opening new routes to connecting with customers.
A great example of this is Kaarvan’s recent collaboration with renowned artist and peace educationist Salima Hashmi. With Salima’s artistic vision and the stitching skills of our artisans, we participated in the 2024 Waterloo Festival Printmaking Exhibition "Our House is on Fire. The festival's theme, “Garden, Rivers and Marshes,” centered on the impact of climate change on diverse communities.
Having the perfect opportunity to showcase her skills, our artisan Farhana, was the one to weave magic with a thread and needle, and bring Salima’s vision to life. Before joining the Driving Women Economic Empowerment (DWEE) Programme, Farhana’s expertise was primarily in hand-embroidered garments. However, through the programme's market and institutional connectivity sessions, Farhana expanded her skills beyond hand embroidery. She ventured into stitch painting, where she transforms customer-provided photographs into unique, embroidered portraits, which is exactly what she did for Salima.
The programme provided Farhana with the opportunity to scale her local small business globally through this prestigious collaboration. Farhana recreated Salima's print of a hand reaching out to blossom, symbolising resilience, regeneration, and the unwavering courage women display in the face of the unprecedented challenges climate change presents to their livelihoods.
Now, Farhana successfully leads two local brands: Qous E Qazaah, which offers hand-embroidered garments with a modern flair, and The Thread House, specialising in customised embroidered portraits. Both small businesses have garnered international attention, thanks to the DWEE programme and its connectivity collaborations.
The Waterloo Festival marks the beginning of many more creative ventures with artisans getting new opportunities to build and shine. Kaarvan, in collaboration with the British Asian Trust, envisions unleashing the ingenuity of our rural communities by actively participating in local and global festivals, exhibitions, biennales, workshops, and residency programmes. These partnerships are extending the reach and impact of rural women's creative efforts, integrating diverse perspectives, and fostering a truly global dialogue. Together, we are shaping new and innovative forms of artistic expression that break boundaries and connect cultures.
By Mashal Khan, Head of Strategic Communications, Learning Sharing & Innovation Department, Kaarvan Crafts Foundation