Zubair Qureshi
Students and teachers from the Islamabad Japanese School on Wednesday visited ‘Paper Miracles,’ a social enterprise and a unique initiative founded by former senior adviser to the government and a sector development specialist Imran Shauket and his Japanese colleague Elli Takagaki for financial empowerment of the poor segments of society.
The primary aim of the visit was to learn about the innovative practices of “Paper Miracles.” The students participated in a hands-on workshop and learnt how waste materials can be transformed into valuable and beautiful items like jewelry items, rosaries, and small articles of decoration.
Imran Shauket welcomed and briefed the young visitors and informed them about the background, purpose and the ongoing projects of the Paper Miracles.
Elli Takagaki who is currently in Japan to attend to her ailing father, virtually participated in the event and explained the core concept of “Paper Miracles” which according to her was recycling waste paper into jewelry such as necklaces, beads, and bracelets, etc.
This creative recycling process not only helps in reducing waste but also provides a source of income for women, empowering them to achieve financial independence, she said.
The students showed keen interest in the recycled products and participated in the activity crafting different accessories and learning about the environmental and economic impact of such initiatives.
Imran said in a world increasingly concerned with sustainability and economic empowerment, it is youth we can pin our hopes in and rely on them for conservation of nature and protection of environment. While giving them the history of the Paper Miracles he said it was established back in 2012 when Elli and he encountered a woman in Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJ&K). She had suffered partial paralysis in the devastating 2005 earthquake and was abandoned by her relatives. She was living in an orphanage. The meeting proved a turning point and led them to founding the Paper Miracles.
