Kush Featured on the Oregonian Blog December 04 2009
Rebecca Lurie, co-founder of Kush Hand-knotted Carpets , wants to get the word out about a project she's undertaken to help combat violence against women in Pakistan. Since last December, Lurie has been setting aside half the proceeds from her sales of Rajasthani textiles to send to the Progressive Women's Association (PWA) in Pakistan. Recently, the founder, Shahnaz Bokhari, called Lurie to express appreciation and to ask for additional help. To date, Lurie has sent $1,600 to the PWA, inspired by a piece in The New York Times by Nicholas Kristof about acid attacks on women in the region.
Lurie has just ordered more textiles in hopes of raising $2,000. She knows it is a lofty goal, but also knows the money is a tremendous help to them -- much more than what it may seem to us, she says.
The textiles themselves, patchworks of recycled sari fragments, make great gifts, which is why she makes a special effort to publicize the program at this time of year.
-- Bridget A. Otto