Livelihoods
Impact
Economic empowerment & holistic development of female artisan by training, awareness sessions and revival of craft that is eco-friendly with focus on recycled / upcycled and craft preservation products.
Objective
Raise the holistic standard of living of 500 artisans in 5 years by establishing RLCC-KAAMRAANI recognition nationally and globally at global quality standards of products and establishing the brand as the goto for gifting solutions.
In 1954, in a small room, the inauguration of a sewing and embroidery class laid down the foundations of this cottage industry that RLCC is supporting today. The livelihoods department was set up in 2008 to form a bridge between companies looking for regional crafts close to their businesses and female artisans with growing financial needs and not enough means to educate their children.
RLCC recognized the necessity to provide a platform that would refine the existing skills of the artisans in order to enable them to become self-sustained. Therefore the department made it its mission to train the artisans individually according to their specific skill set, whereby they are not treated as labor but where they can recognize their individuality and artistic expression to redefine their identities as artisans. This department envisions its artisans as self sustained entrepreneurs leading the path for RLCC in becoming one of the lead organizations in the field of training for design interventions. The livelihoods department focuses on environmental sustainability by training women and spreading awareness for eco-friendly products using leftover materials, in addition to craft preservation.
Under the livelihoods program, RLCC continues to support Begum Ra’ana vision of supporting local crafts and artisans.
Over this period, RLCC has made a concerted effort to:
- Improve product quality
- Provide a steady supply of products to retailers/market
- Innovate and develop new products catering to contemporary market needs, and all ages
- Becoming a go-to for gifting and event solutions
RLCC prides itself in the recognition of artisans, the force behind craft products, and their success stories. In a climate where women don’t feel comfortable in showing their identity, we encourage and assist them in acquiring national ID cards and taking adult literacy classes for increased employment opportunities. We believe in supporting and training women to hone their talents and skills further, in collaboration with vocational training, facilitating their entrepreneurial growth.
The RLCC team realizes that with globalization, RLCC products compete not only with local and provincial markets but also with a much wider international market. Global economics therefore come into play; vision, product type, pricing and supply become all the more critical. RLCC remains loyal to the Shah Faisal craft community and works towards enhancing their capacity in production, and specifically aims at improving the income generation capacity of women living in Shah Faisal Town. Last but not least, RLCC realizes that income generation is directly linked with sustainability: not only the sustainability of resident households, but of RLCC itself through the 20% overheads charged on product sales.
Who are RLCC artisans?
RLCC has over 350 registered women who earn remuneration according to fair trade labor to support their families. RLCC artisans are home based workers, many of whom are not allowed to work out in the market. The livelihoods dept facilitates them, in purchasing material from the market for them, providing necessary training in product development and quality control, follow up on completion and marketing of their products as many artisans are not literate and cannot avail the entrepreneurship training output. Product stock remains with RLCC which then sells the products through several means:
- Stalls at ‘melas’ and events held in Karachi
- Stocking the product at various outlets such as Tali, pith, MPM museum IVS kahani, Apwa Punjab, Nomad Gallery sindh
- Fulfilling specific orders for clients including corporates and companies.
Future Plans
Marketing is critical to the success of this department and efforts will continue to focus on finding new ways to market the products. At the same time, the Department plans to expand the worker base so that more women get the opportunity to earn from this facility. RLCC also seeks to pull in younger women towards learning skills in order to enable an entry into the workforce, gain financial control over their lives and gain confidence critical to making positive life decisions. We have seen a positive change in the support the women get from their homes as they start contributing towards the household. We hope to provide a safe and inclusive platform for women all over Pakistan and empower them financially.
SDG
