craft
Working so the poor can sleep well
Karachi hosts a market for Charpai near Kala Pul that is forever flocking with customers. Kolachi takes a look at the culture of Charpais and the hard work that goes into weaving one
By Ahmed Yusuf
The charpai has long been the bed of the poor. Unable to afford spring mattresses and oak-finished beds, those hovering at or dangling below the poverty line consider this weaved piece of furniture a luxury item. Dedicated to serving their comfort needs, Karachi hosts a market for charpais near Kala Pul that is forever flocking with customers.

Sadak Chaap
When did you get married and how many children do you have?
By Sadia Hanif
Haji M. Akhter, 42, mechanic: "I got married 12 years ago. I had three children, but one of them died. I now have a son and a daughter."
Mazahir, 39, driver: "I have been married for 10 years and have six children; four daughters and two sons."

Arbab Bibi, a Sindhi housemaid and resident of Chanesar Goth, recently lost her child at the time of her birth. But she did not mourn her loss for more than a week and was back to work.  

A mother of five, she hopes to bear more children once her condition is "stable", she says. Little does she know that every child she has not only affects her health but that of the city too. Each child adds to Karachi's existing population, and in turn increases the burden on the city's extremely limited resources.  

But Arbab is not the only one who remains ignorant, as having a large family (with an average of five to six children) is the norm in Pakistan's urban areas. Although inflation has made it difficult for the father – normally the sole breadwinner in a family – to feed all family members, the rate of population growth remains high (1.9 per cent) compared to other countries in the region.

Population growth rate

highest in the region

Compared with the census in 1981, when the growth rate stood at three per cent, it has declined but economists warn it is still higher than most countries in the region including India, Bangladesh and Iran.   

According to statistics given on the Government of Pakistan's website, the country's current population stands at 165 million - and counting. The province of Sindh constitutes about 42 million people, (or 25 per cent). Out of this total, only 22.75 per cent of the population is economically active and the rest is seen by economists as a burden.

'Demographic bomb dangerous than atomic bomb'

But figures alone do not define the gravity of the situation, say experts. "This demographic bomb is even more dangerous than the atomic bomb. Our government will never succeed in providing 'health and education to all' if our fertility rate is not reduced," remarks social worker and activist Nargis Rahman, also the president of Pakistan Women's Foundation for Peace.   

Dr Akhtar Hasan Khan, a former secretary for planning, in his recent article published in an English daily points out that it is the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) – the number of children born to a woman in her reproductive span – that better indicates where we stand today. Pakistan's TFR stands at 4, compared to 3.2 in Bangladesh, 3.1 in India and 2.1 in Iran, despite its conservative leadership.  

In the case of Karachi, however, it is not just TFR that matters. The numbers in this city have mostly risen with increasing migration from rural parts of the province. Employment and better standard of living attracts them to the capital of Sindh where they continue with their traditional practice of having large families, despite their poor economic conditions. The use of contraceptives among this segment is also absent. 

While some quarters argue that it is immoral to raise the question of contraceptives as each individual bears his own economic responsibility, it is necessary to evaluate and understand the effects of a growing population. "For parents it may just be an extra mouth to feed, but for the government that extra child puts stress on the limited resources. The child would want safe drinking water, access to healthcare and education and will also generate more solid and liquid waste. The burden then ultimately lies on the state, not the family," says Rahman.

Economists, however, suggest that this phenomenon of rising population is gender-related as women do not have the right to decide the size of their family. In the early nineties, the government made an effort to motivate the population to use contraceptive pills but failed. As a result, help of the non-government sector was sought. Marie Stopes Society (MSS), a global partner of MSS-UK, was one such committed partner that stepped into the country in 1991 to provide the urban and rural populations with efficient family planning and reproductive health services. They have about 100 centres in the four provinces of Pakistan, eight of which are in Karachi, and a toll-free helpline number across the country for advice on sexual and reproductive health.

"In the past we have seen that the government's strategy of 'kam bachay khushal gharana' did not bear positive results. We changed our strategy and focused on encouraging couples to have children by choice, not by chance," says Dr Naveed Ahmed of MSS while talking to Kolachi.   

Dr Ahmed explains that MSS builds its programmes towards changing behaviours through counseling rather than urging couples to have smaller families, which they are initially reluctant to do. "It takes couples a while to understand the importance and benefits of a small family." He also says that in most cases, the challenge is to convince the husbands who not only discourage the use of contraceptives, but refuse to accompany their wives to clinics for advice.  

Abortion better than precaution

Dr Neelofar Sami, working in the Reproductive and Health Services sector at the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), concurs. "Husbands prefer terminating pregnancies than taking contraceptives," she reveals. According to a pilot study conducted by doctors at AKUH including Dr Sami, an average family in Karachi has four children. "The contraceptive prevalence among the educated class is relatively high (56 – 60 per cent) and among the less educated, the rate of abortion is high."  

Most couples, she adds, fear the side effects of modern contraceptives. "They feel an abortion is an easier way to get rid of the child than disturbing the reproductive cycle of a woman." Surprisingly, most women agree with their husbands about this, she adds. She also pointed out that rising inflation over the past year has significantly changed the attitude of some couples who intently listen and follow their doctor's advice at family planning centres. 

But Dr Ahmed is of the opinion that efforts of doctors and family planning centres will not help decrease the TFR unless services are provided by the government at mass level, especially in rural parts of Sindh. "We have our out-reach workers and counsellors in the rural areas, but due to limited resources, it is impossible for us to reach out to each and every village in the 23 districts of Sindh," he says, adding that illiteracy is another factor limiting the success of family planning programmes as most families refuse to give up their traditions of having more children.

Rahman observes that this trend is more prevalent among certain ethnic communities. "Sindhis and Baloch who have lived in Karachi for generations have large families, even though family planning centres exist in most areas," she says.   

Bilquis Edhi, wife of philanthropist Abdus Sattar Edhi, adds that in her experience, it is the migrant Afghan and Pukhtoon families that have bigger families. "We organise mass marriages frequently among different ethnic communities, and all the Afghan families I have met have multiple wives and close to thirteen children on average. Even after migrating to urban areas, they continue their traditional practices from rural areas where more children promise more money by working in the field." In Karachi, however, most children end up begging on the streets.

Population higher in

Katchi Abadis   

In a study 'The case of Karachi' conducted by renowned architect and urban planner Arif Hasan, it is pointed out how the rapid urbanisation of Karachi and migration from different parts of the country has given rise to population in katchi abadis (slums). The study shows that according to Sindh Katchi Abadi Authority, more than 50 per cent of Karachiites live in katchi abadis, while unofficial estimates show there are 702 of them. "This rising population in slums will further give rise to unemployment and subsequently crime. The government must take this problem seriously and devise policies for population planning. This should be our top priority," insists Bilquis Edhi.  

Dr Ahmed suggests the Pakistani government should replicate the Bangladeshi model and engage religious scholars to control the country's population. "The Bangladeshi government reduced their population growth rate from seven per cent to 2.9 per cent largely by seeking the help of local imams at mosques to educate their people and clear misconceptions about religion and use of contraception. Why can't we use our imams for something constructive as well?" he asks.

The answer lies only with the government.

Sindh Minister for Population Welfare, Jam Mehtab Dahar, is a doctor by profession and believes his experience in medicine makes him the right person for the ministry. A third-generation politician, Dahar is affiliated with the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and was elected from PS-5, District Ghotki. Kolachi spoke with the minister at length to find out the efficacy of the Population Welfare Program Sindh since he took oath as minister last year.  

In the demographic objectives of the five-year Sindh Population Welfare Programme, the previous government's target was to reduce the population growth rate from 2.31 percent in 2002-03 to 1.76 percent by the end of 2007-08, but the growth rate remains unchanged. What steps will your ministry take to ensure it reduces? 

Unfortunately, in the previous government, the job of providing family planning services was given to the Ministry of Health when it should have been with the Population Ministry, which is why they did not succeed. Although we also seek to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Education, the provision of family planning services will now be carried out by the Ministry of Population. 

Why, in your opinion, have we failed to reduce the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), which stands at 4.2 in the province?

Lack of education. Since the rate of illiteracy is so high, it is difficult to convince people to give up their tradition of large families which is why this is the most populous province of the country. Also, in the past we have seen how government campaigns like 'bachay do hi achhay' and 'kam bachay khushal gharana' failed across the country. I feel we need to adopt a different approach that will lead to a behaviour change gradually. For this, I have been engaged in talks with the Ministry of Education to include chapters on female reproductive health in the college curriculum. I feel women need to be educated about the importance of birth spacing before their marriage so we do not have to urge them to have smaller families later. It's a long-term goal, but we want to get it right this time.  

But not many women have access to college-level education, especially in rural parts of Sindh. Have you thought of engaging religious scholars, who tend to have more influence on our uneducated population? 

Yes, actually, I have. I recently held a meeting with a scholar and just asked him one simple question: whether or not Islam stresses upon the fact that a mother should feed her child for 24 months and should be in a healthy state before she plans to have another. He immediately agreed and understood the efforts of our ministry and promised to take my message forward. But yes, more needs to be done in this regard. I have included it in my five-year objective. 

According to the findings of the government, which ethnic group has the highest TFR? 

The Pukhtoons, according to our family welfare centres in remote parts of Karachi. Since they are more conservative, the men in the family discourage women from opting for tubal ligation (a birth control operation) because they think it is un-Islamic. Still, we have a few cases of Pukhtoon women in Shirin Jinnah Colony who had the operation anyway without getting permission from their husbands. The women are aware – it is the behaviour of men that we need to change.

Does the government have a trained monitoring staff to evaluate the performance of doctors at family welfare centres? 

Yes, but they are not sufficient. We are now trying to ensure that only trained staff is recruited in all the 586 family welfare centres, which did not happen earlier. For this purpose, there are five training outlets in Sindh at JPMC Karachi, Civil Hospital Karachi, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Karachi, Regional Training Institute Clinic Hyderabad, Sheikh Zaid Hospital Larkana, and Nawabshah Medical College Hospital.

Why is it that despite help from the private sector and foreign funds received by the Ministry in the past did not produce the desired result?  

Yes, we have been running programs with various NGOs working on sexual and reproductive health like Marie Stopes Society, AAHUNG, Rahnuma, and Sabz Sitara (Green Star), among others, but my only contention is that more work needs to be done at the grass root level. For that, we need our training staff and outreach workers in rural Sindh, not just in urban areas like Karachi where people are relatively more aware. In the coming years, I want to run awareness campaigns in the smaller districts of Sindh that no one visits and we hope that the private sector will also assist us. As for foreign funds, we have recently been told that out of the 600-million-dollar fund for developing countries by PACKARD Foundation (a US-based organisation), 60 per cent will be invested in Pakistan to help reduce our growth rate. We hope to achieve this target by 2012.

--AM

The general census, which should have been held last October but was postponed owing to financial problems, will now take place in October this year, Kolachi has learnt. "We were ready to conduct the general census on time in October 2008, but the government opted not to go ahead with it," said a senior official from the Population Census Organisation, Ministry of Economics Affair and Statistics.

Sociologist Hussain Bux Mallah explained that a census is important in that it helps collect and maintain the database of a nation. "Policies are based on the population size and composition," he said. "When it comes to designing strategies, the government gives preferences to remote or urban according to the outcome of the census." 

According to Mallah, the delay in the census has been largely due to the transitional period of the government. "Senate elections have still not been held, and the government formation process can come to an end once they have," said Mallah, and justified the delay by pointing out that conducting a census is a difficult task requiring a great deal of money. "Maybe the government is looking for financial aid from international organisations," he suggested. 

But an official from the Sindh Ministry of Population Welfare told Kolachi that it is the law and order situation in provinces like Balochistan and NWFP that is preventing the census team from visiting the region and further delaying the process. 

Another reason cited for the delay is some 'technical mistakes' in the data-collecting form to be used in the upcoming census in October-November. The Population Census Organisation Housing and Population Census 2008 form has a total of 26 questions to be answered by every household. But there has been an objection on the options given for the language spoken at home. English was not listed as an option. Yet another discrepancy lies in the question inquiring the number of rooms in a house. Only six has rooms have been listed as a maximum number, even though several houses in the city have more.  

Moreover, the census means illegal aliens, too, will have to be registered whose population has increased manifold in the past nine years. Records from the National Aliens Registration Authority (NARA) show that the overall population of illegal immigrants stands at approximately five million. At present, Pakistan is home to illegal immigrants from 79 countries.  

"There are 2.5 million people of both Bangladeshi and Burmese origin in Pakistan, with as many as 2.3 million clustered in Karachi," said a NARA official. "In addition, the estimated figure of Afghans in Pakistan comes to over 2.5 million with 500,000 to 700,000 based in Karachi. All these Afghans are illegal citizens, even though they live under a refugee status."  NARA has not been able to register all of them owing to unstable political conditions.

But the fact is, their number continues to rise with each passing day. According to the 1998 census, the total population of the city stood at 9,856,318. Unofficial estimates reveal it currently stands at 18 million. But whether or not these findings are accurate, the 2009 census will decide.

Registered

1. Keamari Town 7783

2. Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town 4019

3. Saddar Town 3560

4. North Nazimabad Town 3121

5. Gulberg Town 3029

6. Bin Qasim Town 2646

7. Gadap Town 2584

8. Liaquatabad Town 2046

9. SITE Town 1641

10. Jamshed Town 1519

11. North Karachi Town 1123

12. Korangi Town 1063

13. Landhi Town 734

14. Lyari Town 708

15. Orangi Town 609

16. Malir Town 257

17. Baldia Town 242

18. Shah Faisal Town 151

Total 36835

Karachi is a city where myths about birth control methods run high, but there is one outfit working hard to dispel them all: the Sabz Sitara, or Green Star, clinic. "A lot of people have misconceptions about the birth control methods we suggest," begins Dr Anjum Sami as she talks to Kolachi about the work Green Star clinics have done. 

Worldwide, Green Star is one of the largest reproductive health networks in the private sector, and since 1995, has trained more than 18,000 private health providers – doctors, paramedics, and pharmacists - in Pakistan. As a gynaecologist, Sami has been associated with a Green Star clinic in North Karachi for the past 10 years, and is pleased to report that all the work they have done has made a visible impact.   

"Over the years, there has been increased awareness and recognition of family planning and birth control methods," she says. "Earlier, one woman in 10 would approach me every day for family planning consultation. Today, that number has gone up to four women."

She admits, however, that there is still a long way to go. People continue to cling to their misconceptions about contraceptives, as one patient at a Sabz Sitara clinic in Ranchore Lines demonstrates. "It makes one fat and may even cause one cancer," says Saeeda Rashid, 37, about the possible side effects of the family planning methods.  

Rashid, mother of four, often visits this family planning centre, but not for the birth control consultation. Instead, she comes here to have her children examined in case of minor health problems. "She is a good doctor," concedes Rashid of Sami, "but I don't trust the family planning methods she suggests."

According to Rashid, one of her relatives gained a lot of weight after taking birth control pills and injections. "Besides," adds Rashid, "it is un-Islamic and my husband would never give me permission."

Samar Khursheed, another member of Green Star, says that such an attitude makes it very difficult to convince women and their husbands that temporary or permanent birth control methods have no life-threatening side effects.

"Only one or two per cent of people approaching her for family planning methods have no apprehensions," she says. Sami adds that the remaining 99 or 98 per cent immediately blame birth control methods in case of the slightest irregularity. "Such irregularities are never related to birth control," she says.

Despite the apprehensions, the number of people visiting the Sabz Sitara clinic for family planning methods has risen. "The credit goes to the male faction for bringing these women in and in some cases, permitting them to come at all," says Sami. "More and more men have accepted the concept and support their women when it comes to planning for a family."

Once again, however, Sami warns, that there is still a lot to do. The majority of the women who approach her for birth control methods are from a middle-income group have already had at least five children. In addition, those who come to her from a high income group have already had three children.

"They don't come for health reasons, but out of embarrassment of delivering a child after crossing the age of 30," says Sami. Both Sami and Khursheed agree on one thing: that it is imperative more awareness is raised about the importance of family planning.

Karachi hosts a market for Charpai near Kala Pul that is forever flocking with customers. Kolachi takes a look at the culture of Charpais and the hard work that goes into weaving one

By Ahmed Yusuf

The charpai has long been the bed of the poor. Unable to afford spring mattresses and oak-finished beds, those hovering at or dangling below the poverty line consider this weaved piece of furniture a luxury item. Dedicated to serving their comfort needs, Karachi hosts a market for charpais near Kala Pul that is forever flocking with customers.

Not all of these customers, however, are poor, as the matter-of-fact Nisar Khan, a vendor at the market, is eager to explain. "There are primarily two types of customers," he says. "First are the maems or the sahabs, who come to buy charpais for their servants, drivers and cooks."

Nisar, 27, has been in the charpoy business for 15 years, and knows exactly which charpai will attract which customer. The rich, he says, are rarely interested in quality, and usually pick out anything that will serve their purpose. With the poor – who form the majority of his customer profile – matters are different. "For most poor people, charpais are an investment. They choose them very carefully," says Nisar.

The majority of such customers come from Korangi, Landhi, Sultanabad, Baloch Colony, Akhtar Colony, Hijrat Colony, Qayyumabad and Lines Area. Another vendor, Khalilur Rehman agrees that for them, charpais are a luxury.

"For the rich, they are often about short-term arrangements," he adds. Often they come to us for a charpai when there is a death in their house. Many don't want to place the dead on their expensive beds, and so they buy charpais. Once the burial proceedings are over, they sell these charpai is back to us." 

This, however, causes them to lose nearly Rs300 or Rs400. Once used, the strings are no longer as taut as they should be, and need to be weaved again. Nisar explains how the business has evolved over the years. "Earlier, the frames were made out of wood, and that required a different type of karigar (artisan), but as the cost of wood rose, so did the cost of charpais . We could not afford to make charpais out of wood, and the customers could not afford to pay anything more." 

The high cost drove those who made charpais to look for a cheaper alternative, and seven or eight years ago, such an alternative emerged: building the frames out of metal.  "This obviously required a different type of artisan - one who could work with moulding metal - and thus began a new relationship," says Nisar as he points at Nadeem Khan, who specialises in building things out of metal.

Nadeem explains that the metal for charpais comes from metal drums at construction sites. "We buy those drums put into a machine that cuts and moulds the metal into a particular shape."

Generally speaking, the metal is moulded into a circle or rectangle, after which the different pieces are welded together. "We have to make sure the symmetry of the frame is perfect, or it will be ruined and we'll have to start all over again," says Nadeem. When all the pieces have been moulded and fit into place, a tikli, or cap, is welded on, which not only covers the rough metal edges, but ensures that the frame stays in place. "A good frame is the basis of a sturdy charpai ," maintains Rehman.  

But metal drums are not the only sources for charpaisframes. "A charpais can also be made out of water pipes," continues Rehman. "Sometimes water pipes are disposed from old buildings and structures, and sold to scrap dealers (popularly known as kabaryas). We buy these pipes and mould them according to our need."

The frame is what the charpai is all about. According to Nadeem, the ultimate price of the charpai depends on the quality of the frame. The most common frames weigh between eight and nine kilogrammes, but some, such as those made out of Japanese metal, can weigh up to 35 kilogrammes. Such a frame costs around Rs1,800, making for a very expensive charpai, but as Nadeem adds, it guarantees a decade of reliable service.

"Essentially there are four kinds of charpais ," explains Nisar. "The first type is made from nylon patti, which costs about Rs220 per kilogramme." Generally, however, only one kilogramme is used in the charpai, which can be woven in as little as 15 minutes and then sold for Rs1,000.  

"The second type is made out of packing patti," says Nisar. This is the same patti used for packing luggage, which is where the name comes from. Available at Rs90, its charpai is sold for Rs950 and takes just under an hour to weave. "The third type is made out of nylon thread (doree)," says Nisar, and warns, "It is expensive. The thread costs around Rs200 per kilogramme and about three kilogrammes end up being used for one charpais. Building it involves a lot of time and effort, and only two are made a day."

The fourth type, made out of the leaves of coconut or date trees, is also expensive and time-consuming to make. Again, it is only possible to make two of these in one day. "All the same, it is supposed to be the best to sink in to when you are tired at the end of the day," says Nisar.

The cost of both these types of charpais depends on the frame. Ones with good frames typically cost Rs2,500, while simpler ones come up to Rs1,800. They, along with all the other types of charpais, are available in four colours – red, yellow, green, and blue, although Nisar adds that white and black ones are occasionally made, too.  

Nisar's charpai market also sells folding beds for about Rs1,700, which are usually made in New Karachi. Out of all the variety of beds such markets have on offer, however, the pride and joy of most charpai makers remains the one made out of nylon thread.  

"Building one of these involves a lot of intricate detail where you are able to express your creativity," says Rehman. "With most other types, we are so adept at weaving that we know exactly how the mesh will be created. These nylon charpais, however, are special. We put our heart and soul into them, and customers appreciate it. They are especially selective if they're looking for a nylon charpais."

The popularity of the nylon charpai is evident: this is the charpai usually given in dowries amongst poor households. Every such household, which measures between 80 and 100 square feet, already has four or five charpais, but despite this, charpais remain a much appreciated present. Many end up with more than they need. When Rehman's cousin got married a few months ago, he ended up receiving six charpoys.  

"In the wedding season, not only are charpais bought for dowry, they are also rented by people to accommodate their guests. Typically, 10 to 20 charpais are rented out at each wedding, and we charge Rs30 to Rs40 per day for each charpai," explains Rehman added.

Given the culture of their customer base, charpai makers have been quick to tweak their products around. "The headrest now has foam padding and is cut in the shape of a heart," says Rehman. 

However, business does not boom all year round. In winters, charpai makers usually rely on renting out. On the contrary, summer is an excellent time for business. "It's because people hate sharing charpais due in the heat and humidity. We end up hire more artisans to help us. Last summers, I hired five or six to mould the metal, and another three to help with the weaving," says Nadeem.  

With experience, charpai makers have realised the advantage of a metal frame. "Wood charpais are useless in the winters. You can't store them. The wood becomes wet, it shrinks and the frame becomes crooked," explains Nisar.

Rehman contends that to survive, it is essential to know what the customers want. The market sells mostly charpais, but also stools. As Nisar sums it up, it is all about getting the comfort they pay for. "There are some who sleep on comfortable, wooden beds, and then there are those who sleep on charpais. The poor work all day round. We deserve a good sleep."

Being poor Nisar is all too well aware of how big a difference a good charpais can make, and strives to provide his customers with nothing less than the best.

--Photos by Zahid Rahman

Haji M. Akhter, 42, mechanic: "I got married 12 years ago. I had three children, but one of them died. I now have a son and a daughter."

Mazahir, 39, driver: "I have been married for 10 years and have six children; four daughters and two sons."

M. Amir, 37, office guard: "I have been married for 10 years. I have four sons, but now I want a daughter."

Nur-ul-Haq, 50, wood seller: "It has being 40 years since I got married and have 11 children by the grace of God; nine daughters and two sons."

Feroza Babul,34, housemaid:"I have five children; one daughter and four sons. It's been 26 years since I got married."

Mujeeb-ur-Rehman: administrator, 54. "I have two children, a son and a daughter. I got married 22 years ago."

Niaz Khan, 35, tandoor wala: "I got married 13 years back and have 12 children, seven sons and five daughters."

Achakzai, 40, pushcart vendor: "I have been married since 17 years and have only five children; two daughters and three sons."