Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: December 08, 2021 | 
| 中文
Handcrafted jewellary and hair accessories on display at the gala (Credits to Crafty Soul)
The Islamabad Women Gala, held on the 4th and 5th of December at the sprawling F-9 Park, successfully attracted the residents of the twin cities to the festival in huge numbers. Fortunately, the organizers were vigilant enough to ensure that only families were allowed in - unlike some of the recent festivals which promised to offer a family-friendly experience during the buildup but didn’t keep to the promise on the day of the event itself.
The gala was organized by ‘Let's Grow Together’, an initiative to support small women-owned businesses. The gala held at the gigantic F-9 park offered a perfect opportunity for these emerging female entrepreneurs to showcase their crafts and products. With almost 135 such small businesses, ranging from food to handicrafts, home décor to clothes and jewelry, there was a lot on display. To make this large congregation of the businesses, ‘Let's Grow Together’ had the support of Islamabad Capital Territory Authority (ICTA) and Digital Umbrella, a digital marketing firm.
A painting on display at the gala. (Credits to Eman Haroon)
Tukkar Shukar, Momiz Kitchen, Noor’s Kitchen, Bhai Jan Café, and a few other equally interesting food brands were offering some yummy grubs, which was a welcome break from the more established and often overpriced food options that are usually dominant at such festivals and galas. From food to organic beauty products, handicrafts, kids’ carnival, home decor, jewelry, and handmade khussas (traditional slip-on shoes), there was something for every member of the family. Some of the more seasoned ventures such as Behbud Crafts were also participating in the gala.
Mrs. Deeba Razi, a mother of two, was happy that home-based women-owned businesses that cannot afford to set up permanent outlets due to high rental and overhead costs were finally able to introduce their brands in the market through this gala. ‘I am running a small home-based catering business for over two years. I came to visit this gala with my family and was so delighted to meet so many other women who are running their businesses from home like me. This gala inspired me to take my hobby occupation more seriously, and now I have decided to set up my stall at the gala whenever it happens next time. It is a very well-organized event and it was a great family day for us,’ she shared.
A kid looking at books in Kids-Book section of the gala. (Credits to Kids Schooling)
While each home-based, women-led business venture will surely have a story of resilience to tell, some very unique and interesting businesses stood out. Rukham Fatima, a 12-year-old student of grade 5, had a stall where she displayed her own handmade zero waste candles, marble trays, hand-painted framed mirrors, and dry arrangements. Similarly, another interesting setup at the gala was Mahnush, a non-profit home furnishings and furniture making venture which involves individuals from the transgender community as its workforce. It was soothing to know that an upcoming venture is giving people from the most marginalized segment of society a chance to earn a respectable living and learn new skills.
A product of Mahnush. (Credits to Mahnush)
According to Labour Force Survey of 2014-15, only a quarter of the total women in Pakistan are involved in labour force, and 75 percent of them are in the informal sector and account for 65 percent of home-based workers. Alarmingly, only about 8 percent of micro, small and medium enterprise owners are women while only 1 percent of women are engaged in entrepreneurial activities in Pakistan.
Jewellery and genstones on display. (Credits to Eman Haroon)
“We at ‘Let's Grow Together’ have been supporting home-based entrepreneurs, especially women crafters for a long time. We felt that there was no suitable platform for these women crafters to display their products, and that was the main reason behind our decision to hold this family gala. 60 percent of the businesses participating here are displaying their products commercially for the first time. We wanted to support a culture of ‘buy local and support local’. Everything here is handmade and Pakistan-made,” Ambreen Haider, the force behind ‘Let's Grow Together’ shared in her social media message. The same spirit was shared by the visitors who brought a lot of positive energy to the gala, which aligned with the slogan ‘Mera Fun, Mera Fakhar’ (My craft, my pride) of the gala.
Home-made organic creams and lotions. (Picture taken by Eman Haroon)
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