In the dusty lanes of Alipur, a small village tucked away in southern Punjab’s Lodhran district, something quietly powerful is happening. Inside modest mud homes and small courtyards, women who once had little say in their own lives are now crafting their futures — quite literally — with their hands.
They’re part of Made in Alipur, a grassroots initiative that’s reshaping what empowerment looks like for rural Pakistani women.
From a village dream to a movement
It all started in 2022, when Amina Kanju, a social entrepreneur with roots in Alipur, decided she’d had enough of seeing rural women’s skills go unnoticed. She knew these women could stitch, embroider, shape clay, and weave beauty into the simplest threads — they just needed someone to believe in them, and a market to match their work.
So she founded Made in Alipur, not as a charity, but as a community movement built on dignity and creativity. “It’s not a factory,” Kanju says. “The women set their hours, their pace, and their boundaries. We’re here to give them tools — not control.”
Crafting independence, one stitch at a time
The program began with just 11 women. Today, it’s grown to more than 300, each trained in hand embroidery, pottery, sewing, jewelry-making, and shoe design. But it doesn’t stop there. Participants also learn digital literacy, small business management, and marketing — skills that connect their traditional crafts to modern buyers.
Some of their work now features in partnerships with urban fashion labels like Lama, BTW, and Beygum Bano, giving their handmade pieces a national stage. Each item carries a tag that reads, “Made by hand and made with heart” — a quiet reminder that behind every product is a story of resilience.
‘I feel secure now’
For many women, this isn’t just about art. It’s about survival — and self-respect.
One artisan, Faiz Bibi, shared that before joining Made in Alipur, she struggled to afford daily necessities. “My situation has improved drastically,” she said. “Now I make enough through sewing and embroidery to run my household. I feel completely at peace. Happier. Secure.”
Another participant, Tahira, said the initiative gave her more than skills. “They taught me about my right to education — that women deserve to learn just as much as men,” she said. “That changed how I see myself.”
Beyond craft: sparking social change
What makes Made in Alipur stand out is how it blends economic empowerment with social awareness. The organisation regularly hosts sessions on women’s rights, domestic violence, and health — turning skill-building into a gateway for confidence and conversation.
“These women are not just learning crafts,” Kanju explains. “They’re learning to speak up, to dream bigger, and to make choices.”
This shift is visible in the community. Husbands are beginning to respect their wives’ contributions, young girls are staying in school longer, and families are slowly breaking the cycle of dependence.
The challenges ahead
Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. Infrastructure gaps — from poor roads to unstable electricity — make operations tough. Marketing handmade goods in a world dominated by cheap, mass-produced products is another uphill battle.
But Kanju and her team are determined. They’re working on building an online marketplace and exploring export options to give these women access to global buyers who value authenticity over automation.
“Every stitch tells a story,” Kanju says. “We just want the world to listen.”
Made with heart
There’s something poetic about the way the women of Alipur describe their work. They don’t call it a job. They call it izzat ka kaam — “work with dignity.”
Maybe that’s why the tagline fits so perfectly: Made by hand, and made with heart.
Because what they’re really crafting in Alipur isn’t just pottery, or clothes, or jewelry.
They’re crafting futures.
