Fanning the passion for learning:towards women’s empowerment

There are ways one can give back to society, starting with one’s own community. But the greatest good for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own.
Looking around the capital society with all its stark contrasts of lavishness and nothingness sprawled around from posh neighbourhoods to slum localities, one comes across distinct gaps left between the lifestyle followed by the haves and haves not.
But it is indeed heart-warming to find pockets of individual and collective efforts towards bridging those gaps through sharing their success story and giving back not through charity but ‘Fanning the passion for learning’; and sharing skills to make people able to weave their own dreams and stand on their own feet.
It was an overwhelming experience to witness Ali Fateh, a designer of international repute sharing his success story of unique craft and skill with a group of marginalised women to help them stand on their own feet.
Talking about his journey from success to sharing, Ali Fateh, known around the world for his exquisitely exclusive and intricate designer clutches, introduced his project ‘Fanning the Passion for Learning’ to ‘The News’.
Ali believes that the marginalized women have the essential entrepreneurial skills in abundance as daily they meet up with challenges on daily basis, isolate problems, predict the outcomes and seek alternative strategies to make life better for their families. Yet, they have little awareness of their true potential and the capacity for critical and creative thinking. Fanning the Passion for Learning creates experiences that guide the women to recognize their strengths, and to use the power inside them, to learn and to earn.
The target audience of the project are the un-educated and under educated women who find it impossible to go to school, or to return to school. Particularly at risk have been the marginalised women, for they had no mechanism by which they could enter school during their lifetime.
Isolated from the classroom, they have seen no connection between family and school. The result is an adult population with high rates of illiteracy, and mothers ill-prepared to foster learning in the household.
Under Ali’s Passion for learning project, currently there are 21 women participating in the program. The project is aimed at the homes, families and communities in which these 21 women live. Going to their doorstep is Ali’s way of respecting their privacy and lifestyle. As the women gain confidence and knowledge and learn the Core Skills of entrepreneurship, they are participating in the creation of a new business opportunity, and a new life for themselves.
Talking to few participating women; Fareeda, Asia Bibi, and Azra, it was visible through their confidence level that they are already extending the levels of learning. Learning to make these beautiful clutches and bags has changed the way they see the world and is enabling them to see possibilities and ways of thinking not envisioned previously. Most important, it is changing the way they see themselves. They are talking about sending their children to school -- they are envisioning a future -- they are finding their voices.
To inspire the participating women of the Fanning Project as well as honour the success story of four women for their achievements, Ali Fateh said that the project has named four unique designer bags after four eminent successful Pakistani women Muniba Mazari, Rabia Butt, Nageen Hyat, and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, all strong Pakistani women who aced their careers, defying the ways of society and becoming role models for millions. They are a source of inspiration for the participating women too. Ali Fateh said that the entrepreneurship Project for women empowerment is in full swing and almost finished with the first 100 clutch bags made by 21 extremely dedicated and hard working women in just a little over a month.
The project is launched by Ali Fateh Designs in partnership with Pearl Foundation, and One Sky International.
Ali Fateh said, ‘it has been an amazing journey so far in the little time we have been at work. The first thing we have is passion, we helped our 21 women to find theirs and now they are carrying it forward with amazing dedication and enthusiasm’. The women of The Fanning Project have shown great interest towards learning and are dedicated, extremely hard working mothers and sisters of Pakistan. Working with them, watching them discover something new about themselves each day and coming up with solutions to problems on their own, has been quite rewarding and a learning experience, Ali Fateh added.
Ali said that the creations of the first batch of 21 women learners will be showcased soon and that is when they will expect appreciation and support from all of us -- they need the support to discover their full potential so they can reach higher.
It is indeed heart-warming to see that successful people like Ali Fateh with profound abilities start contributing their time, brainstorming ways to maximise the number of lives one hope to touch or trying to think up ways to increase range of influence as the actual act of giving back to the society that can make a real impact in the lives of many. To give back to society in the biggest way possible, sometimes the smallest acts are the kindest and richest.
The Fanning the Passion for Learning is working and committed to empowering women and sending their children to school. Passion does not mean life without challenges; passion to overcome hurdles by all means is the right kind of passion. So perhaps, like Ali Fateh and many others aiming to bring a change in the society, the message remains never to give up and feel and fan our Passion for learning.