Bunyaad (formerly JAKCISS Oriental Rugs), centered in Lahore, Pakistan, provides employment for artisans in more than 100 villages throughout Pakistan. The name meaning "foundation" in Urdu, Bunyaad works to create strong foundations in the villages of Pakistan by paying a fair wage to its artisans. Artisans who receive a fair and living wage for their work are able to build better homes and living conditions, create educational opportunities for their children, foster better understandings among different religious communities and spread peace through fair wages and equal opportunities for men and women in the villages of Pakistan. These are the foundations created by fair trade. These artisans create onyx sculpture and tabletop items, hand-knotted Oriental rugs and semiprecious stone jewelry. The artisans generally range in age from 20 to 50, and 60 percent are women. Since its beginning, Bunyaad has focused on artisans in remote villages, as these are areas with significant lack of opportunity for artisans. In addition to their marketing of artisans products, Bunyaad has supported education, adult literacy, housing and refugee programs, as well as a variety of other social services in Pakistani villages. Bunyaad actively pursues opportunities to bring higher education to villages - a girls' college in Darianwala village in northeast Pakistan, for example. In 2008, Bunyaad completed a housing project for earthquake-affected families, in cooperation with Mennonite Central Committee. Bunyaad began more than 30 years ago with an effort to create jobs for artisans in Darianwala village in northeast Pakistan. With its growth, the organization has been able to benefit many more artisans and their families. It works with rug-knotting artisans in villages throughout Punjab and the North West Frontier Province and onyx artisans in Sind. Although many artisans over the age of 35 who work with Bunyaad have limited education, younger artisans have been able to complete their education. As Bunyaad has been paying fair wages for more than 30 years, families have now been able to send their children to school and have been able to develop their communities. This has led to healthier living conditions, and peaceful relations between Muslim and Christian residents as they are no longer competing for jobs but rather working together. Communities are also stronger because young people do not need to leave the village to find work elsewhere. Bunyaad has also brought more gender equality into the villages, as men and women earn equal wages, have equal opportunity and enjoy equal participation. Ten Thousand Villages Villages began purchasing rugs from Bunyaad in 1982 and onyx items from Bunyaad in 2008.bunyaad
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