| |

The Dougs learn about Education and Washing Rugs

Students lined up for the beginning of the school day at St. John’s.

After a hearty breakfast at the Chaman home we walked across the street to visit St. John’s school. The school is on the same property as St. John’s church. The school has 168 students from Kindergarten to grade 10 and 13 teachers. Families that can afford to pay a small monthly tuition. Families that can’t afford to pay can send their children for free. The Principal, Ms. Mehrul Nisa, said that 60% of the students go on to college.

| | |

Juggling Family, Household and Work

Bunyaad artisans Arshad, Mustaq and family

Let Me Introduce: Arshad

Arshad, usually called by her nickname Bebe, and her family live in the village of Darianwala located approximately six miles from the Indian border in Northeast Pakistan.

Arshad and her husband Mustaq have been working for Bunyaad for the past five years (since 2009). Prior to joining Bunyaad the family had been drifting from place to place in hopes of finding work that would support the entire family. As a woman working outside the home would not have been acceptable for Arshad and so the challenge of providing for the entire family rested on Mustaq’s shoulders.

How does a family in rural Pakistan make ends meet when jobs are scarce and mostly seasonal?

Bunyaad is the Newest Fair Trade Federation Member

FTF Logo

We are thrilled to be approved as the newest Fair Trade Federation (FTF) member this week.

Bunyaad is the first fair trade rug business to join the FTF. The FTF is the trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations fully committed to fair trade. Bunyaad is proud to be included with the more than 240 FTF members who have one primary purpose: to support artisans and farmers in developing countries through the practice of fair trade. Fair trade guides each and every trading decision that FTF members make – just like Bunyaad has always operated, right from the beginning.

Thanks to stellar work by Bunyaad staffer Doug Horst, we sailed through the FTF application process and easily qualified for membership. The FTF family includes a number of other highly respected fair traders in Canada and the USA like:

|

Hot Steaming Water Buffalo Milk served by Fauzia

Fauzia steams milkWhen you come to any of our rug rooms and during all of our rug events across the US and Canada you get a glimpse into the world of rug making and see the artisans at work in the video “Introduction to Oriental Rugs” that is shown throughout the day. As staff I have watched this video hundreds of times. My work in the Bunyaad office also involves working with lots and lots of artisan photos. So when visiting Pakistan this year it felt almost surreal meeting these same artisans for the first time and yet feeling like I have known them for a long time.

It is with great pleasure that I get to introduce two of these young women to you who have both been rug knotters with Bunyaad for the past eight years. Fauzia and Sofia live with their parents in the small village of Halwan about two hours north of Lahore. After finishing their schooling, they both started knotting rugs as this allowed them a good income and the ability to stay home with their parents.