The Social Values at Thatta Khedona

In a family oriented and gender biased society like Pakistan, the super hit project, Thatta Kedona, demonstrated wisdom where not only local values were preserved but also some new good values were introduced without risking the resistance of villagers.

First of all was, ladies were bound to fulfill their daily house chores and family obligations. They were allowed to take up as much work as was manageable with it. If a lady let the family complain about her negligence of domestic responsibilities, she wasn't given work.

As a result, men came to the support of their ladies when they found them not only responsible at family matters but also an earning hand. So, without gender gap or gender conflicts the project was carried out successfully. Local skills were invested into more working and earning opportunities that were part of the village culture.

Along with women folk, gents were also taught various skills to earn better. Among the new skills, some families offered rooms of their homes for the volunteer guests who came to teach the locals new skills. These volunteers came around the year from different parts of the world and stayed at these guest rooms where they were served with freshly cooked food. Though marriages took place in a conventional style, but at the occasion each new couple (bride & groom) were gifted with a flower plant. Similarly, at the birth of a new child, the parents of the newborn were presented a fruit plant. That’s how each home became self-sufficient in having fragrant flower and fruit trees.

Local women became confident through sharing the earning burden. Prosperity let them take better care of not only themselves but also they began to think about the education of their daughters. Education and health care facilities are among the new traditions of the village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka.