Pehran Project

Location: Gurase Valley, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan

The rural women of Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K) actively participate in the production of Kashmiri arts and crafts, but face significant hurdles in maximizing a return on their efforts - for themselves as well as their families and communities.

The CSP believes that generating and revitalizing rural economies through community participation is the key to development at the grass-root level. The CSP's Pehran Project is a direct result of this belief. The project is a grassroots, pilot program designed to enhance the ability of the rural women of Gurase Valley to produce higher quality handmade Kashmiri cultural arts and crafts and market them more effectively.

The Pilot Program will run for 12 months and train 400 women in knowledge of how to

maximize the quality of their arts and crafts
establish a Gurase Valley "brand"
increase the visibility and value of their products

To insure the ongoing training of local women, four training centers, run by graduates of the Pehran Project, will be set up around the valley, each specializing in a specific area of Kashmiri cultural arts and crafts.

Project Partner: