Green Community Centre, Islampur, Swat
As of February 18th, the Green Community Centre, consisting of three circular modules each 16’ diameter, has been completed. The use of bamboo in the cross bracing and multiple bamboo joists, and filling with lime, mud and stone has provided suitable accommodation in order that basic services could be provided to the community.
The land has been gifted by a notable of the area. Services by a paramedic have been arranged, who at a minimal cost is providing primary healthcare to the surrounding areas.
One of the modules is dedicated to women’s assembly and a craft centre. A local woman has been asked to train other women in the area.
The third module will be used as a display centre for craft products that are being made by women, particularly those who had been trained under the HF-UNESCO-DFID programme during 2010. Most participating trainees are now able to earn their livelihood by working at home. Notable among those are the ones who were given handlooms. Most of them are able to market their products and have begun to earn at least 3 times of their earlier earnings.