The embroidery effect

Published February 17, 2011
Polly & Me works with a local Chitral-based public limited company, Mogh Limited, one of the city's first such shareholder companies. The reason behind the initiation of a public company was to encourage ownership and shareholder rights to the female artisans.
Polly & Me works with a local Chitral-based public limited company, Mogh Limited, one of the city's first such shareholder companies. The reason behind the initiation of a public company was to encourage ownership and shareholder rights to the female artisans.

Social enterprises use market-based models and strategies for a social purpose by working with skilled craftsmen, artisans, farmers and so on at the grassroots level.  Currently in Pakistan, there are a handful of organisations that can be correctly labeled as a social enterprise and Polly & Me is one of them. Founded in 2003 by two sisters, Cath and Ange Braid, Polly & Me has introduced the handicraft and traditional embroidery skills of Chitrali women to the international market.

Dawn.com speaks to Cath Braid, the force behind the initiative, on some of the challenges she has faced and even some things she learnt along the way.  – Text by Amna Khalique and Photography by Eefa Khalid/Dawn.com

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