Afghan Action is working in Afghanistan to support local economic development and help people acquire the skills they need to rebuild their devastated country. In Karte Se, Kabul, Afghan Action has opened a carpet factory and training school, where young people are provided with education and training and offered the opportunity to work in the traditional carpet industry under 'fair trade' conditions. Direct market access in the UK for these beautiful hand made carpets is managed by the staff in London.

 

To ensure that the project has long-term sustainability, Afghan Action is committed to selling these carpets directly to individuals and organisations through exhibitions and fairs, through its website and through selected retailers. The aim is to generate enough income through carpet sales, ethical gifts and sponsorship for the organisation to become self sufficient by 2008.

 

Afghan Action is now conducting a feasibility study into setting up ICT and management skills training in Afghanistan, working with the Ministry of Education, the private sector and NGOs.

 

Afghan Action is a social enterprise formed in May 2005. It is wholly owned by a UK registered charity, the Afghan Training Foundation (no 1111897). It came about through work with Afghan refugees living in East London and in September 2007 a new member of staff, Yusof Mirzazada, joined the team - specifically to work with Afghan people living in London and their community organisations and groups.

 

Afghan Action's work in Kabul is part funded by the Department for International Development (DFID) through its Business Linkages Challenge Fund - administered by the Emerging Markets Group (EMG), an offshoot of Deloittes. Its work with the Afghan community in London is supported by the City Parochial Foundation. A growing number of companies, trusts, faith groups and individuals are supporting the work and volunteers provide vital assistance, bringing expertise and commitment to create a viable project.

 

Afghan Action - a 'Fair Trade' Concern

 

Afghan Action's carpets fall into the 'fair trade' and 'naturally organic' ranges. They are produced using high quality, traditional, hand made materials, wool from Ghazni sheep and mainly natural dyes. Trainees and workers are provided with daily meals and have access to onsite health care and health education. They work from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm, 6 days a week. Staff and trainees also receive daily literacy and numeracy classes (now accredited by the Afghan Ministry of Education, who also supply 2 teachers).

 

Afghan Action is the only organisation in Kabul to operate a training school and carpet factory providing training, employment, education and health care for young men and women (some of whom have disabilities) - and also import the carpets on a fair trade basis to the UK. 

 

Afghan Action Today

 

We aim to train 350 people over 3 years in the skills of weaving traditional handmade carpets and to employ up to 100 'graduates' and, in December 2007, we had 80 people employed and 20 in training. To date, over 200 people have participated in our training and education programmes.  

 

Two skilled master trainers design and supervise the production of the carpets and manage graduates and trainees. Experienced trainers are responsible for recruiting and teaching the trainees to weave. The trainees receive a fair stipend during training and the graduates in the factory receive a basic wage and additional volume payments for their monthly output of carpets. 

 

Working conditions in both the school and factory have been greatly improved with running water to taps and toilets, provided from a newly dug well. Click here to see our testimonials.

 

Find out more about our carpets.

 

Newsletters and Reports

• Click here to see the June 2008 Newsletter.
• Click here to see the February 2008 Newsletter.
• Click here to see the November 2007 Newsletter.
• Click here to see the ICT4Development Pilot Project, July 2007.
• Click here to see report of Abdullah Haiwad's visit, Kabul, July 2007.
• Click here to see the February 2007 Newsletter.
• Click here to see the November 2006 Newsletter.
• Click here to see the Mae Fah Luang Foundation's report.

Make a donation to the Afghan Training Foundation (registered charity no 1111897)

 

 If you'd like to make a donation to the Afghan Training Foundation, please click here