About Us

Charka meaning "Wheel", is a self-relient project, part of Jagorani Chakra Foundation, a largehearted NGO based in Jashore. Chakra specializes in fine hand-embroidery produced by local village women. Many women in the region already possessed embroidery skills passed down through the generations, and some have through Charka been able to earn a modest income for themselves and their families. Other employment opportunities being traditionally scare.

Jagorani Charka Foundation first developed training program in the early 1990s and later opened a small shop to market their's products, which soon developed a reputation for the highest quality.

Charka is constantly training more women and increasing the size of their product range, which includes Sarees, Shalwar-kameeze, shirts, punjabi robes, childrenswear, cushion coversed and other household items as well as traditional "Nakshi Kantha" quilts. Every pieces may take half a dozen women up to three months to complete. The materials used are pure cotton and hand-woven silks, plus hand-made paper, all of which is produced in Bangladesh.

The Nakshi Kantha quilt originated when to provide bed covers for the cooler winter months , women aewed old sarees together in layers. The saris made by local weavers were plain, but often had a colored bordered which was then unpicked and the thread re-used to embroider the Nakshi kantha. "Kantha" is a bangla word for quilt and "Nakshi" refers to the fine diagonalstitch pattern most frequently used in the decoration.