Empowering Through Art and Skill

at-Taiyebaat proudly launched Fankaari Classes 2025, a series of practical workshops designed to nurture creativity, build self-reliance, and empower women and youth across Baroda.  The word “Fankaari”, rooted in Urdu, means craftsmanship — and that’s exactly what these workshops celebrated: learning traditional and trending skills that can turn into income-generating opportunities.  The tagline is, “Learn something meaningful. Create something beautiful. Earn with dignity.”


Workshop Highlights


Rida Stitching Class: 21st April – 3rd May (12 days)
Trainer: Tasneem Ben Rajodwala
A classic favorite! Women of all ages learned to stitch Ridas and turn this art into an earning opportunity.

Phonics Class: 5th – 16th May (10 days)
Trainer: Zeenat Lokhandwala 
An interactive class focused on phonics, reading, and vocabulary building for children 5+ years.

Tie & Dye: Ajwa Road: 5–7 May | Wadi: 8–10 May
Trainer: Fatemah Bhaisaheb 
A colorful dive into fabric dyeing techniques—spreading creative energy in both areas.

Self-Defence Class: 5–9 May (5 days) Ajwa Road
Trainer: Zahir Sir
Focused on girls’ safety. With a special demonstration by the SHE Team of the local police!

Crochet Advanced Class: 5–17 May (12 days)
Trainer: Saminaben
A needle-art revival! Students made keychains, purses, soft toys, and more.

Candle Making: Ajwa: 12–13 May | Wadi: 14–15 May
Trainer: Disha Ben
Fragrant, festive creativity! They made: Flower Candle, Gel Wax Jar Candle, Floating Candle

Macramé Class: 15–26 May (10 days), Ajwa Road & Wadi
Trainer: Zakiyaben Sutarwala
A trending craft! Learners made macramé keychains, purses, earrings & home décor items.

at-Taiyebaat also conducted complimentary 8-day Fankaari classes to teach 10 basic stitches, it aimed to teach basic stitching techniques used in day to day life to individual participants aged 12 and above, Free of charge. The program was held from May 19-26 at Taj Complex, Ajwa Road and at Badri Mohalla, Wadi at the same time.

Participants learned the following 10 basic stitches:

1. Running Stitch
2. Backstitch
3. Basting Stitch
4. Overcast Stitch
5. Blanket Stitch
6. Hemming Stitch
7. Buttonhole Stitch
8. Slip Stitch
9. Whip Stitch
10. Hook and Eye Stitch

The Complimentary Fankaari Classes were a resounding success. The program focused on providing a fun and easy learning experience. The program achieved its objective of teaching basic stitches to participants and how to use them in their regular routine. We hope to continue providing such opportunities for skill building and community engagement in the future.

More Than Just Classes

Fankaari isn’t just about learning—it’s about building futures. These workshops inspired women and youth to discover their talents, support their families, and even start home businesses.  Participants from Ajwa Road and Wadi showed great enthusiasm, proving that creativity has no boundaries.

How It Benefited the Community

The response from the participants and their families was heartwarming and overwhelming. Young girls gained practical life skills and a deep sense of safety and self-worth.  Mothers learned new ways to support their households by selling what they made.  Teenage students found new hobbies, passions, and for many—a purpose.  They walked in curious. They walked out confident, creative, and capable.  “We thought we were learning crafts. But what we really found was confidence, friendship, and a future.”

As far as our talented and enterprising small beautiful community is concerned, Aqaa Maulaa always advises muminaat to be creative, enthusiastic and calculative in their daily house-hold works and routine activities.  Taking interest and actively participating in things that one likes tends to a healthy life with great outcome.  Health originates from mind.  Creative and focused mind is the best way to maintain health.  A healthy mother who apart from her daily chores, spares some time for her hobbies which proves a pulsating cradle of her innovation and creativity.  This habit is enough to charge other members of her family and in this way a whole positive environment is generated in doing something good, new and different.

Not all, but there are handful of muminaat who believe in learning some new things with every passing day of their lives.  This opens for them a rainbow of activities which they love doing it and also encourage and appreciate others following it and doing it with same interest.  Last time in the month of October 2017, at-Taiyebaat committee came with a variety of classes and activities in Diwali vacation such as Cooking, Hand Embroidery, Ridaa Stitching and Fabric painting. It was a great success and many muminaat learned different skill with keenness and zeal.  This time too, at-Taiyebaat has organized different activity classes in Aywaan e Nooraani, Badri Mohalla, Vadodara.  The classes pertaining to Advanced Fabric Painting, Paper Quilling, Tie and Dye and Cooking commenced from 19th April 2018.

In Paper Quilling, participants learned Basic Shapes, Envelop making and decorating it with quilling designs, Keychain making with quilling strips, Earrings, Eco-friendly paper bags, Quilling flowers.

In Cooking those candidates who took part learned various dishes under different categories, Desserts such as Mousse cake and Vanilla icecream with a twist, Starters such as Dragon chicken, Hyderabadi finger chicken, Zafarani herb tikka and Russian cutlet in chess sauce, Tandoori roti and Garlic naan, Main course such as Patiala chicken and Malabari chicken curry, Surprise item was Mutton lagan seekh.