Sungi’s Jisti Craft Programme embodied now in the Enterprise Development Programme started in 1994 in a single village of Haripur district. While the present programme focusing on the revival and promotion of Jisti embroidery has reached to more than 300 villages in response to the demands of village communities of the four districts of Hazara region including Haripur, Abbottabad, Manshera and Bat
tagram and also in Muzaffarabad (AJK). Enterprise Development Program (EDP) is an integral part of Sustainable Livelihood Program in Sungi. EDP works with the most marginalized Home-based workers (HBWs) both women and men. EDP also works at the national level in collaboration with other public and private organizations for the rights of the most marginalized home based women workers and poor artisans. Through the EDP, Sungi endeavors to enhance women’s livelihood opportunities for improved household income; empower women by improving their mobility and addressing gender biases that worsen poverty; strengthen partnerships and linkages at local, national and international levels to enhance advocacy on the rights of informal / home-based women workers to meet the challenges of globalization; and facilitate policy reforms based on the marginalized craft persons and women home-based workers. Economic empowerment of women through skill enhancement, and supporting enterprise development and marketing through developing craft groups had led craft women to have sustainable income, independently. Sungi has earned remarkable success and appreciation for its work in promoting crafts and creating livelihoods for women through its initiatives. Networks and stakeholders – including Government Departments, international organizations and commercial – have been approaching Sungi for developing linkages, assistance and support while appreciating Sungi’s contribution.
