(Courtesy of Cause Artist)
Daria Day’s jewelry isn’t just about pretty beads, accessorizing, or the gemstone’s healing powers. Founder Farrukh Lalani wanted better the world around her, so according to Cause Artist, she decided to use her skills and business sense to help lift female artisans living in Pakistan’s mountain communities out of poverty.
Some of the small, isolated villages that Lalani worked with during her time with the NGOs in Pakistan are amongst the poorest in the world. She spent a lot of time getting to know these women and realized that with the right support and resources, they could reach financial freedom and experience self-empowerment.
Lalani told Cause Artist in an interview that each piece of jewelry comes with a card that includes a short bio about person who made the item, connecting the artisan and the wearer and weaving them into one big story.
She said that in the past, gemstones were typically exported out of the region, so none of the locals could benefit from the resources of their own land. Daria Day changed the system by processing and making the jewelry on site, ensuring that these communities thrive from the sales.
With sales profits, Lalani said that women can help support their multi-generational families and pay for family members to attend school, which creates opportunities for future generations to better themselves and accomplish their dreams.
Lalani said that she collaborates with the Rupani Foundation, an NGO that works with these local communities to make sure the resources are ethically mined, and the people are treated fairly and work under good conditions.
For locals who have previously gone unheard and ignored by their governments, the NGO acts as their advocate, helping them to learn new skills.
Just like Daria Day seeks to heal and empower the women that make the jewelry, Lalani believes that the gemstones themselves have healing and connecting powers. Amazonite, for example, shields the wearer from stress and brings calmness. Amethyst blocks negative energy. Green jasper brings emotional clarity and red jasper promotes independence
Daria Day’s biggest accomplishment is empowering the artisans who make the jewelry. The other is connecting the customers who support Pakistani women’s prosperity, whether they’re 100 or 1,000 miles away with the stories of the women they help.
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