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English of Event on Tharparkar Beautiful & Misunderstood A Cultural and Photography Exhibition |
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Karachi, March 01 (PR): People, culture & lifestyle, landscape, as well as the daily hardships faced by the people of Thar parkar were captured by a group of eight burgeoning photographers along with The Editor’s Cut and its team of three filmmakers, where they spent three days photographing in their own unique ways.
‘Tharparkar: Beautiful & Misunderstood – a cultural and photography exhibition’, as output of this journey and to show Karachiites the real life and sufferings of people of this desert was opened here in Alliance Française.
This project was initiated by Green Crescent Trust (GCT), in collaboration with Alliance Française de Karachi, aims to raise awareness about Tharparkar’s immense potential and the real issues plaguing the region and its people. The exhibition was inaugurated by Zahid Saeed, CEO of GCT.
Before opening of exhibition, a ceremony was held to praise efforts of GCT, photographers and to feel pain of people of Tharparkar. Ceremony was attended by art lovers, philanthropists and media persons.
Head, Cultural Programs at Alliance Francaise Eric Taze delivered welcome address. Saad Zuberi, Manager Public Relations, GCT told audience that Green Crescent Trust is operating four schools in Mithi, Islamkot, Chachro and Deplo areas of Tharparkar. These schools have enrollment of 1500 students. GCT is also providing water projects in 170 far flung villages of Tharparkar to cater water needs of about 30,000 inhabitants, he shared.
Speaking about the innovative program, Saad Zuberi said there is no better way to help the people of Tharparkar than to include the artistic youth of Pakistan in our efforts, and that’s exactly what this whole program is about. This trip has exposed them to a whole new world they knew nothing about, and in turn they have helped us bring a piece of Thar to Karachi to share with you all. We’re hopeful the exhibition will attract generous donors and philanthropists who will join hands with GCT to make the lives of Thar’s downtrodden people easier,” he hoped.
Sharing activities of GCT, its CEO Zahid Saeed told that they started charity work about 15 years ago in Tharparkar aiming to increase enrollment in schools. “We run 128 schools all over Sindh having enrollment of 20,000 children of far flung villages. Out of this, 50 schools are in suburbs and under developed areas of Karachi like Orangi town, Katti Pahari, Itehad Town, Baldia. We want to bring a positive change and target most vulnerable areas of the province despite very poor law and order situation there,” he said.
Situation is very worse for last three years in Tharparkar. We have started to install hand pumps and submersible pumps with concrete water tank in each village of district. We have completed 176 such projects and 35 more are underway. Each project can cater all water needs of about 400 people. There are 2300 villages in total in Tharparkar and we have aimed to provide this utility in all villages by 2020. This will cost just 220 million rupees which is not a big deal as compared to billion of rupees earmarked by government to provide such facilities to these poor people and still they have not, he lamented.
“We have see women there fetching water after walking three to four kilometers carrying five clay pots in a single turn and it is assigned duty of women to bring water in all odds weathers. This water is only kept for drinking purpose resulting in poor hygiene and later making them vulnerable to diseases. This is a vicious cycle going on in Tharparkar causing deaths of little children every day. We have taken this task to eliminate causes of diseases like diarrhea etc. We wanted everyone to see and realize their pain and we took photographers there,” Zahid Saeed informed.
He discussed potential and natural resources of Tharparkar and literacy rate. “All development and exploration activities have excluded local manpower totally making people feel insecure. This issue should be addressed on top priority otherwise situation is feared to be worse like Balochistan,” he warned.
Team of photographers was accompanied by teacher of Alliance Française de Karachi Sarah Sandagne who also spent three days and nights there. The photographers also saw the brilliant initiative taken up by GCT to provide basic education and sustainable water supply to some of the most deserving villages in the desert.
Exhibition remained opened three days for public. Each photographer displayed 10-12 of his or her images from the trip at the exhibition. Guests also witnessed artwork themed ‘Thar, as we see it’ created by students of GCT’s Hilal Public Schools in Tharparkar. GCT also invited artisans from Tharparkar to take part in the program. Thari folk musician SabhagoKhas-Kehli performed at regular intervals throughout the exhibition. SitaBai and Taju, expert Ghaj (traditional embroidered Thari dresses) and Rulli (patchwork dresses, bedsheets) makers displayed their needlework skills, while Nandlaal and Varseen demonstrated their handwoven shawl making skills using a homemade khaddi.
A short documentary on the Tharparkar Photography Expedition by The Editor’s Cut was also screened at regular intervals. The photography and children’s art will continue to be displayed at AF for an additional two weeks until March 13 from 9:00am – 6:00pm.
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