Supporting Development of Jashore Stitch

Meeting on implementation plan and progress

Date and Time:
January 31, 2022, 3:00 pm-5:00 pm
Participants:
Md. Shah Abdus Salam, Fahud Khan-DEW crafts
Mehjabin Ahmed, Saira Nadnin-Swisscontact.
Purpose of the meeting:
To revisit the ToR and the workplan in order to track the progress of the activities and how they are connecting to the
overall business model and the expected output, as the partnership agreement with DEW crafts for supporting
Jashore Stitch development is halfway through.
Agenda:

 Revisiting the business model and workplan to keep track of progress and ensure alignment with the
overarching goals
 Catching up on backlogged activity implementation updates
 Updating ongoing activities
 Establishing a realistic implementation timeline for the ToR's remaining activities

Key Discussion:
Update on the backlogged activities:
According to the ToR, the following activities were supposed to start in October 2021, however they were postponed
due to a number of implementation challenges, including a consultant change and the current covid spike. DEW
crafts and Swisscontact discussed about completing these backlogged tasks as soon as possible.
The following is a summary of the discussion:
Connecting with different stakeholders and potential buyers
2-3 consultation meetings/ discussions with experts from national and international entities to be arranged for better
understanding of market trends, demand patterns, customer preferences, expectations which will guide product
development.
Product Development Guidebook
Expectations and feedback from the sector experts have to be streamlined and documented in the product
development checklist for the entrepreneurs. A complete product development guidebook to be prepared with the
sector experts, with the objective of placing the concrete steps of product development altogether.
MoU signing with interested partners
Product development MoUs are to be signed with the interested partners to provide support in product development
with the objective of onboarding potential buyers for the co-created handicrafts products.
Digital marketing and promotional activities
Based on the activities outlined in theToR, a digital marketing plan ( with the objective to bring Jashore Stitch
forefront in the long run) and social media promotional contents for Jashore Stitch to be developed. Engagement of a
social media expert is also possible based on the days needed to assist in developing plan and contents. .
Update on the activities in progress:
Co-creation and design workshop series 2

 The co-creation and design workshop series-2 will be facilitated by Prof. Shamim Reza and co-facilitated by
Rokeya Ahmed Purna. Facilitators’ profiles were shared and contracting process is completed.
 ARANYA / AARONG are being approached to be the part of the co-creation and design workshop series 2,
as the industry expert, representative of the prominent national fashion houses, and potential buyers.
 Bexi fabrics has been contacted to be the part of co-creation and design workshop for exploring potential of
bridging the gap in raw materials supply and backward linkages in the handicrafts sector of Jashore.
 Saibal Saha, a fashion designer and the facilitator of the co-creation and design workshop series 1, is guiding
the entrepreneurs through the process of prototype development and will facilitate the feedback collection
and further adjustment process for large scale production upon orders received.

Action points:

 Based on the ToR and the meeting discussion, DEW crafts will prepare a workplan with revised timeline to
accomplish the targeted activities, including those in backlog, by February 06, 2022.
 DEW crafts will share the detailed session plan/agenda with lessons and hand out/product development
guidelines on different themes of the co-creation and design workshop for feedback by February 07, 2022.
 The workshop dates will be decided once the resource preparation is completed and finalized.
 Any modifications in the implementation of the activities mentioned in the ToR shall be communicated to
Swisscontact through email, along with the rationale for the change.