S jo Diary: Pakistan field trip 2022
When I left London earlier this year to visit my family in Karachi, I went with a determination to visit the villages in rural Sindh where I collaborate however, nothing was certain due to rising Covid cases worldwide. Somehow I managed to arrange the trip (or rather align as it requires a number of factors coming together) towards the end of my visit and I was thankful. I was thankful because it meant I could borrow a car from my parents and someone who my family and I have trusted for years took time off their day job and drove me there. This is needed because the drive to the villages takes 7 hours from Karachi on highways and local roads (not for the faint hearted, it has a law of its own) and much safer for a woman to travel with a male accompanying especially as I stay locally. I am lucky my parents do not oppose it and are in a position to assist. I choose to work like this without the bounds of an NGO and/or local landlords because power is at the crux of the work with the communities.
I was delighted to see the women who I had not seen for over two years and some for longer as they were not present at the last S jo workshops. The feeling was mutual as everybody – young and old – came to say hello even if they couldn’t stay on. The village had changes, the mud house of the artisan where we usually sit in the courtyard for workshops was now in a different location and made from bricks and concrete, I saw a ceramic wash basin with running water and separate plumbed toilets (plumbed but not flushing, manually poured buckets of water are the flushing mechanism). Some other homes also seemed to be made of bricks rather than the usual mud. Solar panels have been installed in the village for irrigating fields and for energy where needed.
This year we had two main design problems to solve during the workshops. One was to figure out how to create Ombré necklaces without the tassel hanging at the back but still have a varying length option. The other was to start experimenting with techniques to make small phone bags.
This year was also the first where we incorporated semi-precious stones into some of our jewellery collections. Based on feedback and research we made some shorter choker style necklaces which are easy to wear and mix for our patrons with other bits of jewellery (chains, favourite pendants and baroque pearls) which I hope will help in creating looks truly unique to you. As always our mantra is to create pieces that portray original style, for the discerning that never follow trends but lead them.
Seher x
