Aarong
 |
|
| NGO | |
| Industry | Design, sales of clothing, accessories, jewellery, home goods, development, economic empowerment of women |
| Founded | Dhaka, Bangladesh (1978) |
| Founder | Ayesha Abed Martha Chen |
| Headquarters | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
|
Area served
|
Bangladesh |
|
Key people
|
Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, Chairperson, BRAC Dr. Mohammad Musa, Executive Director, BRAC Tamara Hasan Abed, Senior Director, Mohammad Ashraful Alam, Chief Operating Officer Sasi Kumar, Head of Operation, AAF |
| Products | Clothing Jewellery Fabric Non-textile craft Leather goods Footwear Houseware |
| Revenue | USD 50 million (FY 2012) |
| Website | www |
Aarong is one of the retail chains in Bangladesh operating under BRAC, a non-profit NGO. The organisation was established in 1978. Aarong operates production units in rural and semi-urban areas as a part of its social enterprise model and provides the market linkage through its own retail outlets.
In the 1970s, BRAC was examining any and all possibilities for alternative forms of productive livelihood, especially for women, and the proper commercialisation of arts and crafts turned out to be a promising option. In 1976, Ayesha Abed, the wife of Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, founder of BRAC, initiated many of the major activities of Aarong by identifying and experimenting with various crafts that women could produce at home such as nakshi kantha, embroidered goods, baskets, mats and items made of cane, bamboo and jute. However, the two main obstacles to turning craft production into a worthwhile enterprise were maintaining good quality and proper marketing. In 1978, BRAC entered into a joint venture with the Mennonite Central Committee, the international development arm of the Mennonite Church, to open a shop in Dhaka called Aarong – meaning 'village fair.' The Mennonites had a long experience of producing handicraft to generate income and had established a programme called Ten Thousand Villages, which worked with artisan groups around the world and sold their products through catalogues and retail shops in the US and Canada. In the first year the Mennonites assisted with the business side of the operation while BRAC worked to develop the skills of village women and their products. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, BRAC focused on developing Aarong's product lines and production capabilities. They began to study and catalogue the designs and motifs of traditional art forms by visiting museums, elderly craft masters and private collectors. They experimented with indigenous forms and materials, adapting them to possible new lines. They hired master craftsperson to help train village women and created a textile design and service workshop in Manikganj to experiment with materials and technologies in stitching, weaving and dyeing. BRAC also started producing historically imported items such as, men's panjabi. In 1982, the Ayesha Abed Foundation (AAF) was established by family and friends to commemorate the memory and work of the late Ayesha Abed who died leaving behind her newborn son, Shameran, and young daughter, Tamara. The foundation was created to develop women's skills in various crafts through an appropriate working environment, financial and technical assistance and training. Initially it was registered with the government to receive foreign charitable donations and raise funds, but now operates exclusively as a part of Aarong. The AAF board comprises the eight family and friends of the late Ayesha Abed. Its budget is part of the Aarong initiative under BRAC. The AAF workers are all members of BRAC's village organisation groups or the family of the members.
...
Wikipedia