Surviving Through Odds

Arifa Jan

Every story ‘We The Women’ brings for you is unique and we aspire to inspire through it. What we have learnt so far that an ordinary seeming person or an ordinary story of that person can have extraordinary bits. It mostly depends how you see that person or how their story gets told. In today’s edition of ‘We the Women’ we have brought for you about the life-story of another not-so-ordinary ordinary girl with some extraordinary highlights. Let’s indulge into it to imbibe, reflect and exhibit in our lives that extra-ordinary.
Arifa Jan is an awe-inspiring woman from the valley, with huge aspirations. She has a remarkable vision and a thriving enterprise dealing with a tradition craft that we will get on later. Despite being born in educationally adynamic family with no business background and absence of any dealing with the center of her commerce prior venturing into it, that is the craftwork of any sorts, Arifa is calling down our excuses to not pursue our passions, with her actions and growth.
Born to Mehmooda and Abdul Hamid bhat, an SRTC worker, Arifa is second child child who always wanted to leap out of the box. According to her, from a very early age she had made up her mind that would not follow the conventionally set path of immediate marriage following the end of her studies, instead she wanted to stand firmly on her feet first.
She shares, “I have always been inclined towards pursuing my own venture; have my own enterprise, therefore, graduating in commerce came naturally to me. I dreamed of becoming a successful businessperson”
Arifa is not merely an entrepreneur, she is that little spark that has aimed to rekindle the dying art of Namda (felt rugs) Despite being apprehensive Arifa’s parents supported her but it is not hard to realize that she like all of us craves unconditional faith and support.
Arifa developed a passion for Namda making through an educational program. After her Bachelor’s degree in commerce from Kashmir University at Srinagar, Arifa after being counseled took up two-year Craft Management and Entrepreneurial Leadership programme.
Though Arifa could not afford to pay her fees, after seeing her talent, determination and zeal, CDI facilitated a grant for her provided by the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, which took care of her training.
Arifa shares, “When the Crafts Development Institute (CDI) opened in Srinagar I grabbed the opportunity and was one of the few girls to join. The diploma project I chose was on the declining tradition of felted Namda, as I wished to contribute for revival of languishing craft, support artisans and improve their lifestyle.”
Arifa decided to pick the daunting task to revive the once-famed handicraft Namda, the traditional embroidered rug which has over the years lost its sheen. Namda is a traditional felted rugs/carpet made out of wool after a long and laborious process, involving carding the wool, spreading it on a grass mat and compressing it manually followed by assiduous and industrious embroidering.
During her research Arifa discovered that exports of Namdas had dropped bizarrely by 98 percent over past decade due to a decline in quality directly resulting from the poor wages earned by artisans. She learnt that the artisans were then mixing cotton with local wool and using local dyes which bleeds, resulting in less durable and pallid Namdas.
After graduating successfully from CDI, Arifa wanted to explore ways to innovate in the traditional craft and aligning it to the contemporary market and hence she learnt and experimented with different production techniques and traditional Namda designs.
Arifa decided to utilize her skills and knowledge of Namda to try to rectify the situation, refurbish quality, but also incorporate innovative ideas to increase Namda’s marketability. Therefore, she started from the root beginning by ensuring use of 100-percent merino wool and less harmful azo-free dyes that do not bleed for making of Namda and opt for quality thread for the embroidery.
Arifa also labored to revived Patterned Namdas, a craft almost forgotten in Kashmir, where the designs are cut out of the felt and contrasted felt elements are incorporated into the base layer.
The results were remarkable; a sellout at Dastkar Nature Bazaar of 2010, Delhi where Arifa participated and sold all of 60 Namdas she took with her. Exposure at the Dastkar Bazaar also publicized Arifa bringing her in eye of influencers within the craft sector, who recognized her talent and drive and invested further in her endeaver, both personally and through another Dastkar affiliated project – the Commitment to Kashmir fund for which Arifa went on to qualify as a grantee.
Arifa’s entrepreneurship is setting example of how one can not only thrive solo but help others to do so as well because hers is ensuring the survival of ancient craft techniques and skills through innovation. She challenges the paradigm that business practices cannot be ruthless, with her true empathy for the craftsperson and ethical practices.
Arifa was aware that without artisans, the craft would soon die and to ensure their survival they need to be supported and encouraged by higher wages. She shares, “The first thing I felt appropriate to do post my success at Dastkar Nature Bazaar was to double the wages of artisans.” “If we earn, why can’t we share our profits with the artisans?” she asks.
Arifa was also selected by the Indian Government for an International Craft Exhibition in Italy which she could not attend due to some constraints but now she is producing to get another such opportunity. She is encouraged by the orders that she gets from outside India. She has clients in countries like the US, Australia, Japan, Finland, among others.
Arifa has attended workshops, collaborated with established designers like Priya Ravish Mehra and even visited Kyrgyzstan to learn about Central Asian felt making traditions under the auspices of the Delhi Craft Council.
Arifa is also the first-ever Kashmiri woman to be nominated by the United States State Department for the Women Entrepreneurship Programme under which she was awarded US Citizenship Eligibility Certificate in 2014. However, Arifa is not interested in the US citizenship and wants to stay in Kashmir and help the craft and artisans.
Arifa’s is now striving for a Common Facility Centre to take this craft to newer heights. She wants to be in capacity to employ more artisans, especially women without resources in order to benefit every shareholders from the revival of this dying craft and where the profits will go back to the group.
Starting from just 5 artisans in 2012 to having 15 all time artisans and more than 55 artisans working from home under Lifestyle and home décor of Namda, Arifa has an expanding system. Despite establishing herself in the field and becoming a celebrated businesswoman with revival of dying Namda to her credit, she points out to the dark side of the field.
“Being an entrepreneur one gets appreciated but it does not mean that they are accepted. Ociety either wants to intimidate such women or get intimidated by them,” shares Arifa in reference to her parents who are struggling to find her a suitor. According to her everyone blames her being a businesswoman for that.
Yet, Arifa says that being self-reliant cannot be compromised for anything. I would not give up my profession for anything. Still, it is evident that her heart wrenches for her parents.
In her message to the would-be entrepreneurs, she says, “Women embodies immense strength and compassion, they can grow society when they grow, they can support other families while supporting others. We should strive for social entrepreneurship.”
To women out there Arifa says, “You do not need external motivation to make something out of your life; Chanellize it from within.”