AHAN (Aik Hunar Aik Nagar) which translates to “One Village, One Product,” was initiated in 2006, under Small Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA). Within the short period of just one year, AHAN had actively started working in all four provinces of Pakistan and officially became an NGO.
Mission:
AHAN aims to generate employment opportunities for the sole purpose of alleviating poverty in the rural areas of Pakistan. AHAN achieves this primary objective by supporting rural based micro and small enterprises engaged in the production of non-farm goods. Since its inception, AHAN has initiated 79 projects nationwide, of which 46 projects are exclusively focused on assisting women artisans of region-specific textile hand embroidery. Approximately 70% of AHAN beneficiaries are women, thereby ensuring adequate support to females living in far-flung rural areas.
Projects:
AHAN is involved in a multitude of projects, some of which include: hand embroidery, handloom fabrics, carpet weaving, ralli, silver jewelry, Ajrak, lacquer work, ceramics, mosaic, Killim, camel skin products, wood carving and leather embroidery.
To learn more about AHAN visit their site: http://www.ahan.org.pk/site/
Our Partnership:
At Azadi Project we’re drawn to both the intricate beauty of the Ajrak patterns, as well as the technique’s ancient ancestral roots. As the picture above depicts, AHAN’s Ajrak fabrics are all handmade with a wood block pattern stamp. The accuracy and detail with which the artisans at AHAN create Ajrak fabric is remarkable. Azadi Project’s collection features a number of handmade accessories produced by AHAN’s various projects.
Hand beaded bangles, Ajrak scarves and tote bags are just some of the items featured this season. We are particularly excited about the gorgeous clutches produced by the artisans at AHAN. One design uses authentic Ajrak, with a necklace embellishment on the front. The other original clutch design is a collaboration between AHAN & IkatUZ, showcasing the stunning hand dyed Ikat silk of Uzbekistan.
We’re so thrilled to contribute to the preservation of this precious art form, and just as excited to feature these stunning pieces in our collection!