HARIPUR, Dec 26: The Sungi Development Foundation has been helping women artisans in rural areas of the district to set up embroidery centres and market their work in the country.

Azar Lashari, a spokesperson for the foundation, said this while briefing journalists from Islamabad who had visited the centres in Bareela, Pind Muneem and Rehana villages on Thursday.

He said that besides launching infrastructure development schemes, worth millions of rupees, the organization had mobilized over 1,000 women and organized 24 groups to train them in modern embroidery.

Mr Lashari claimed that these skilled women were now earning a lot more than what they used to do in the past for stitching.

He said there were over 140 social organizations, operating in 85 villages under the aegis of Sungi, of which 74 were working for women. These women, he claimed, had so far been paid Rs2.75 million.