Green Community Centre, Islampur, Swat

As of February 18th, the Green Community Centre, consisting of three circular modules each 16’ diameter, has been completed. The use of bamboo in the cross bracing and multiple bamboo joists, and filling with lime, mud and stone has provided suitable accommodation in order that basic services could be provided to the community.

The land has been gifted by a notable of the area. Services by a paramedic have been arranged, who at a minimal cost is providing primary healthcare to the surrounding areas.

One of the modules is dedicated to women’s assembly and a craft centre. A local woman has been asked to train other women in the area.

The third module will be used as a display centre for craft products that are being made by women, particularly those who had been trained under the HF-UNESCO-DFID programme during 2010. Most participating trainees are now able to earn their livelihood by working at home. Notable among those are the ones who were given handlooms. Most of them are able to market their products and have begun to earn at least 3 times of their earlier earnings.

Sethi House Progress

Ar. Yasmeen Lari, CEO, Heritage Foundation and Hon. Project Director, Sethi House Conservation Project, visited the Sethi House on March 13th to examine the progress of work.

The  demolition of the non-historic portion that had been built some time in 1950s, had been carried out, which has cleared the area in the front of the house as a forecourt.

The work on the brick wall in the rear to stabilize the neighbours’ wall was partially completed.

On March 14th she called on Dr. Shah Nazar, Director, Directorate of Archaeology, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was decided that the proposed workshop/seminar should be held some time during the middle of April.

A visit to the Sethi House was later made by the Director, as well as Mrs. Fareeda Nishtar, Member, Sethi House Committee .

One of the trainers of the HF-UNESCO-DFID project, Sambreen of Swat was short listed for Shell Tameer Award for Entrepreneurship. Under the programme 500 women were trained to make products through improved craft skills for income generation.

Although Smabreen did not win the award but she has done amazingly well as one of the ten shortlisted entrepreneurs. She had tough competition from the entrepreneurs who belonged to large cities such as Karachi and Peshawar.

The event of the display of the products of the selected entrepreneurs was very organized by Shell and very well attended.

We are immensely proud of Sambreen for providing livelihood to 50 women whom she has trained. May her enterprise develop further and help her to continue to help other women of the area .