The internet is creating new opportunities for women in remote desert regions of Tharparkar, that border India. Here, enterprising women are using their traditional skills in making handicrafts for thriving small businesses. Despite limited resources, low literacy levels, they rely on shared mobile phones to secure online orders and obtain digital payments.
What once required costly travel to nearby cities can now be done with a few clicks. Mobile technology has helped these women showcase their craft, learn new designs, connect with buyers and make an independent living. In so doing, many of them have the support of male and other family members who benefit from their income.
Yet significant challenges remain. Many women do not own mobile phones and depend on family members to access digital platforms. They also lack formal digital marketing skills. Community organizations are working to bridge these gaps by providing training and support, helping women expand their businesses and access wider markets.
Beyond entrepreneurship, mobile technology is also helping women engage more actively in their communities. As digital tools become increasingly important in today’s economy, the women of Umerkot and Tharparkar are demonstrating how resilience, creativity, and access to technology can create new opportunities and transform lives, even in some of Pakistan’s most resource-constrained regions.
