Sustainable Production Centre for Cloth and Paper Bags Employing Specially-abled Persons in Hunza District

 In April 2019, the Hunza district made history as the first in Pakistan to ban single-use plastic bags, aligning with the “Clean and Green Pakistan ” campaign. Spearheaded by the Deputy Commissioner of Hunza, this move garnered widespread appreciation. However, its success was hindered by the absence of local alternatives. In response, the district administration devised a project titled “Sustainable Production Centre for Cloth and Paper Bags Employing Specially-Abled Persons in Hunza District” and entrusted its implementation to the Karakoram Area Development Organization (KADO).

This initiative engaged 100 individuals with disabilities and 400 women from ultra-poor families. They underwent training and were equipped with skills to craft cloth bags at Primary Production Units (PPUs) established at the village level. The pilot phase, from October 2021 to June 2023, achieved significant milestones

  • Identification of 500 beneficiaries from ultra-poor families and persons with disabilities.
  • Training in basic bag-making skills, encompassing design, cutting, and stitching.
  • Establishment of 8 PPUs at the Union Council level to facilitate beneficiaries.
  • Creation of a secondary production unit (SPU) at KADO Hunar-Khun to produce non-woven bags as eco-friendly alternatives.
  • Extensive awareness campaigns on the environmental harm of polythene bags across Hunza.
  • Collaborative events with the local administration in Hunza, emphasizing environmental concerns.

During the pilot phase, it became evident that the production capacity at KADO-SPU was inadequate to meet the demand for eco-friendly bags. Therefore, a revision of the project was proposed through the local administration in Hunza, aiming to include an automated bag-making machine in the next phase to sustain local market demand for eco-friendly alternatives. Up to date, the project is in its phase 2. Procurement and installation for automatic machinery is in process.