‘All is grist that comes to his mill’ adage fits perfectly for Mr. Bashirullah. From childhood, he is interested in skillful work. Having completed intermediate education from Karachi, he enrolled in a diploma course on gems in Peshawar. Since then, he has been involved in different business endeavors but gems and jewelry remained his obsession. Could not be able to breakthrough in the gems sector, Mr. Bashirullah left the gems market twice and started to work in other sectors. To work in the gems market “one must be skillful and have marketing skills, both go together” explains Mr. Bashirullah. Rupani Foundation has left no stone unturned to search for talented skillful individuals who can contribute to society. Things changed, he explained when “RF offered me six months training in gems in Afghanistan, this triggered a sense of rejuvenation and I saw my dreams fulfilled”. He served as a master trainer in the Rupani Foundation gems training center for five years.
In 2008, national and international companies started to work in the mining sector in Gilgit-Baltistan due to the initiation of mining lease by the government. Private companies started to give job opportunities in gems and mining. NGO’s like RF was already working in the gems sector, this triggered the consciousness in people regarding the gems potential in Gilgit-Baltistan. At the village level, local societies sprung which catered financial assistance and support mechanisms for local entrepreneurship at the same time. Mr. Bashirullah reflects that “it was opportune time for him to show his mettle and establish a strong foothold in gems industry”. Given the guidance of master trainers and determination to invest knowledge, he ventured into the gems business. Mr. Bashirullah is currently running his own gems workshop where he trains people and supplies the finished products in the local and national markets.