Empowering Women in Afganistan through Fair Trade

Afghanistan is part of the orginal “hippy trail” and has a great history of textiles, arts and crafts. But war and conflict have meant that in modern times it’s become a difficult place to visit, and Afghan products like handmade textiles, clothing and accessories are difficult to find in the West, compared to those from other countries in Asia. From The Source are working with Zardozi, an Afghan non-governmental organisation, to bring fair trade products to the UK and enable women in Afghanistan to generate income through skilled work. Fair Trade in Afghanistan can help tackle poverty, empower women and gennerate sustainable and long term international economic relationships built on trust and respect.

Embroidered Fabric Glasses Cases

We currently have a range of beautiful, hand-embroidered cases and bags from Zardozi in Afganistan available online, and are planning to bring on new lines of fair trade products from Afghanistan this year. The fabric glasses cases with zangeera (“chain stitch”) embroiderey are particularly stunning!

Bringing small products such as these to the international market is a step towards building new relationships with Afghanistan and helping people to overcome poverty in conflict-affected areas.

The story of Zardozi – Markets For Afghan Artisans

Zardozi started as an income generating project set up 26 years ago to assist some of the women in the hundreds of thousands of families which poured across the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan when fighting started. Today thousands of poor Afghan women earn a steady income from embroidery and handicraft production thanks to Zardozi.

The money which the women earn from producing and selling embroidery and handicrafts empowers them in many diverse ways. Many of the women use their income to support their children’s education, in particular taking their children away from carpet work and sending them to school. Other women spend money on pregnancy check ups – often for the first time in their lives despite multiple pregnancies. All of the women describe having an income of their own as life changing in terms of achieving status as individuals in their families and communities and allowing them some control over their own lives.

Producing Handicrafts in Afghanistan

Zardozi supports women producers of handicrafts and clothing in several ways. Several thousand women for example, produce directly for the Zardozi shop located in Kabul. This shop sells mostly to foreigners and exports in a small way. Women working for the shop live in rural areas in eastern Afghanistan and in the refugee camps in border areas. They are almost 100% illiterate and most have never visited a clinic or a doctor in their lives.
Zardozi also works with approximately 1,000 other women who live closer to markets in poor urban areas.

Zardozi assists these women to start small businesses selling handicrafts and clothing to shopkeepers and traders. These women also lead lives of chronic poverty and isolation before finding this source of income. Finally, Zardozi works with more than 20 very small businesses in the handicraft sector helping them to improve their business and production skills so that they can increase their profits and expand.

buy fair trade products by Zardozi

Fair trade & rural development in Laos

Laos is a predominately rural country with many people solely reliant on farming for an income. Many people grow up with very limited access to education, and have few employment opportunties. This is particularly true for women as it is generally men who are resposible for family income. It is very common for women to be taught weaving and textile production skills by their mothers, and as well as weaving their own skirts rural women sometimes sell textiles to the local market for extra income. There are great traditions of raising cotton and silk on small scale farms, and using locally available plants to produce natural dyes. However, some agricultural development in Laos is threatening this small scale farming and local biodiversity, as commercial crops such as corn and rubber are being promoted as a way to generate more income from farming. This is completely changing local agriculture patterns and livelihoods, and threatening to wipe out many of the raw materials for Lao handicrafts. In some areas our craft suppliers are finding it increasingly difficult to find villages that are raising silk and growing cotton, and instead finding evidence that the new industrial crops are causing environmental problems like landslides and flashfloods because of clear cutting and the use of tractors to plough hillsides.

Employment for women in rural Laos

By increasing the demand for Lao handicrafts and textiles, there will be more opportunity to earn an income in rural Laos, especially for women. The traditional crafts of weaving and natural dyes can be encouraged, and the negative impacts of the introduction of large scale commercial crops in Laos may be limited, and local biodiversity and small scale farming methods preserved.  Read some of the personal stories of people who are benefitting from rural employment in textile production, and learn more about one of our fantastic suppliers in Laos in this article published in Laos’ English language newspaper The Vientiane Times:

Saoban – Changing the Lives of Villagers in Laos

Indigo Blue Loose Weave Organic Cotton Scarf

We encourage organic farming practices and are working towards organic certification for cotton products from Laos. By supporting small scale farming, traditional weaving and natural dyes our fair trade scarves are making a real difference to the lives of people in Laos. However, none of this is possible unless we can continue to offer fantastic scarf designs that people will love to wear. Check out our current ranges online:

organic cotton scarves

handwoven silk scarves

Kommaly Chanthavong wins International Women of Courage Award

United Sates Ambassador to Laos Karen B. Stewart’s remarks on the award:

“As the world marks On this 100^th anniversary of International Woman’s Day, it is important to recognize that women globally have made significant gains.  Secretary Hillary Clinton will participate in celebration in Washington, D.C. with First Lady Michelle Obama to announce the International Women of Courage Awards to 10 honorees from around the globe.  The recipients represent the women who work in their countries against corruption and injustice, and who find for human rights, good governance and economic opportunity.  They are agents of change.  Overcoming poverty, discrimination, and violence, the honorees not only champion the rights of women and girls, but also serve as inspiration to us all.”

The organisations founded by Kommaly are committed to increasing and stabilising the livelihood of Lao villagers through the renewal and support of traditional Lao handicrafts. Phontong Handicrafts was founded in 1976 when Kommaly  was one of many internally displaced people living in Laos. Kommaly’s vision is to expand the benefits of the PHC to poorer areas of Laos (Kommaly herself came from the poorest region in the North).

From The Source are supporting the work of fair trade producers in Laos – see a selection of handmade silk and cotton scarves from Phontong Handicrafts Cooperative in our online shop.