Senta Siller Art Center {WAC}
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Women Art Center at the village Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka, district Okara in Punjab has been renamed as Senta Siller Art Center (SSAC) to honour the German lady Dr. Senta Siller, who had initiated this center back in 1993. This decision was agreed made and announced at a meeting in the Center, which was attended by a number of village girls and women, who have worked with Dr. Senta Siller, the honourable Mother of Dolls over the decades.
Mr. Amjad Ali, the newly elected president of the local NGO “Anjuman-e-Falah-e-Aama” told the enthralled gathering that by renaming the center the people of the village are honouring Dr. Siller’s hard work and commitment with the village over a quarter of a century.
Dr. Siller activated the village women and resumed the tradition of making dolls. This was the beginning of a successful attempt to generate income for women living in rural areas. Initially the hand-crafted dolls and dozens of other handicrafts were offered and sold in the local market at different bazaars. Later these products were also sent abroad. She also initiated a number of health, awareness and education projects in the village.
Although Dr. Senta Maria Anna Siller celebrated her 81st birthday this November, she is still active in assisting the project “Thatta Kedona” and selling its handicrafts at different bazaars in Germany. An artist and designer by profession, she was born in Vienna and now lives in Berlin, Germany.
She has been awarded Bundesverdienstkreuz (highest civil order of merit of the Federal Republic of Germany) and many other honours from different countries. All friends of Thatta Kedona project are wishing and hoping that Pakistan’s President will soon be announcing the Pride of Performance Award for Dr. Senta Siller’s exemplary and untiring efforts for the cause.
Given age, she is not able to fly frequently and visit the Project that she had once initiated but the people of Thatta Ghulamka Dhiroka will always remember her fondly and pray for her health and happiness.
Labels: Aamir Rafique, AFA, Amjad Ali, Cultura Landgut Borsig, DGFK, Dr Norbert Pintsch, Dr Senta Siller, FPAC, Senta Siller Design Center, SSAC, WAC
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 10:48 AM,
,
Dolls of the World - Flair Markt 2015
Friday, June 12, 2015
The lives of the residents of this village Thatta Ghulamka Dheroka changed 25 years ago, when a German art teacher took up her student Amjad's invite and visited his village. These dolls are famous all around the world.
Watch the vedio here
Labels: AFA, Amjad Ali, Bamenda, Berlin, CAT, Cultura Landgut Borsig, DGFK, Dr Senta Siller, Nauen, Prof Dr Pintsch, Saboyá, Tanto Mejor, Thatta Kedona
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 12:08 PM,
,
Dolls of the World
Friday, March 13, 2015
A project that Dr Senta Siller started in a small village Thata Ghulamka Dheroka on the bank of River Ravi (then unknown to the world) in early 90s has brought so many visible changes.
Over last two and a half decades the village has come to be known as Dolls Village, the artisan of the village who produce handmade dolls and toys are now trainers passing the skills to next generation, the dolls are collectors’ delight and are seen all over the world in museums as well as in homes of people who love local cultures, diplomats and other foreigners and many more. Visitors of famous Lok Virsa National Museum, Islamabad find Thatta Kedona dolls there and appreciate the authenticity of the dolls.
What is more, the project has given birth to similar project in Cameroon, Colombia, Iceland and Germany.
Combined with research and designs by Dr Senta Siller and skills she taught to the village women is now a source of income generation for to the woman who perpetuate the traditional culture.
The mother project in Pakistani village has daughters (similar projects in other countries) as well as projects like Appropriate Technology,
Communication, Housing and Information.
Best part is the project is that Dr Senta Siller is now laying the foundation of yet another coopration with another village NGO in the vicinity of Islamabad (stay tuned for more on this).
Labels: Camcatbam, Cultura Landgut Borsig, Dolls of the World, Dr Senta Siller, Lok Virsa, Museum, Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch, Tanto Mejor
posted by S A J Shirazi @ 9:58 AM,
,
