Case Studies - meet some of our trainees and weavers

 

 

Karen Triggs was based in Afghanistan as the Media Officer with the UK Government’s Department for International Development in 2006/07. She visited Afghan Action’s factory and training school in South West Kabul and bought a handmade carpet. Here she reports on two of the young weavers she met.

 

June 2007

  

Afghan rugs keep kids off drugs

 

DFID-backed Kabul carpet workshop helps youngsters weave a better future

 

Waid, 15 and Rahila, 18 work at UK social enterprise Afghan Action’s unique Kabul rug workshop, handweaving traditional Afghan carpets.  Hardworking Waid has been his family of five’s main breadwinner since the age of ten – he used to work on the streets of Kabul hailing taxis for a pittance.  Rahila’s family now has a tape player, batteries and some cassettes, strictly forbidden under the Taleban, after she and her two sisters, also employed at the workshop, saved diligently.  Waid and Rahila both missed out on school during Afghanistan’s conflict years – Afghan Action’s afternoon literacy and numeracy classes mean they can now read and write properly.  Afghan Action’s carpets are sold in the UK and the profits reinvested in the workshop.

 

Waid: “One really good thing about working here is that we do school classes in the afternoon.  I’m learning to read and write one of Afghanistan’s two main languages, Dari, and also doing maths and religious studies.  I can read the sign boards of shops in the street now – I couldn’t do this before – and now I know maths I can count my weekly wages.

 

Rahila: “We make some great carpets here.  I’m sure people in Britain would like the one I’m making at the moment, which is in the Kazakh style.  It’s easier to weave than some of the other styles, actually, particularly the ones with flowers on which are quite fiddly.

 

Waid: I like the Kazakh carpets too.  You can tell it’s Kazakh because of the colours – a sort of dusky blue - and the pattern is quite geometric and symmetrical.

 

Rahila:  My favourite colour wool is this dark navy blue.  We dye the wool ourselves here at the workshop using organic dyes.  If you look outside you can see the skeins hanging on the roof, drying in the sun.

 

Rahila points to her favourite navy wool.

 

Waid: I’ve been working here for about a year-and-a-half now.  I spent about nine months as a trainee, learning from our master carpet maker.  Then the workshop offered me a proper job.  I’m the only person in my house with a proper job – there are five of us: mother, brother and two sisters.  I get paid about 2500 afghanis a month (about £25).  I give all the money to my mother and she gives me a bit back for bus fares. 

 

Rahila: There are nine people in my family – my mum and dad, four brothers and my two sisters.  My dad has a job as a carpenter.  My two sisters work here at the rug workshop as well.  All our wages go into the family’s moneypot.  I’m a trainee at the moment but I’d really like a steady job here once I graduate.

 

Rahila and her two sisters Maria, 21 and Layla, 15.

 

Waid: Before I worked here I was hailing taxis on the street.  I had to stand outside in the baking heat or snow.  In a good month I would earn no more than 1000 afghanis (about £10) and sometimes quite a bit less.  I did actually attend school for a little while – maybe two years.  But I had to leave to start working when I was about 10.

 

Rahila: I was sitting at home doing nothing before I started here because it’s very hard at the moment for girls to find suitable jobs.  I was really bored – I’m so happy that I’m doing something productive now and that there’s more money coming in because it means that we can live a bit better.  We’ve recently bought a tape player for the first time – we all saved to get this.  We can also afford to buy meat a bit more often.  We hardly ever had it before.  My favourite meal is sherwa – it’s an Afghan soup you make with meat, potatoes and carrots and eat with flat bread. My mother prepares it, mind you – I’m terrible at cooking!

 

Waid: Now I can read and write a bit I might be able to go and study at college later.  I’d quite like to be a doctor.  In the meantime I hope I’ll work here.  I also hope people in the UK will keep buying our carpets – they’re lovely and the money we earn helps our families stay off the breadline.

 

 

Afghan Action is supported by a start up grant from DFID’s Business Linkages Challenge Fund.  Its aim is to become a self-sustaining business employing up to 100 of the 350 trainees who each receive 6 months’ training. There are currently 75 people employed and 40 in training.

 

Afghan Action is wholly owned by a UK registered charity, the Afghan Training Foundation (reg no 1111897).

 

Afghan Action’s office is at St Andrew by the Wardrobe, Queen Victoria Street, London EC4V 5DE, tel 020 3201 0049. Email chrisbeales@afghanaction.com

 

 

 

 

Name: Ali Hassan Father's name: Mohamad Isaq Age: 18 years old Birth place: Behsod valley, Maidan Wardak Province No of Family members: 8

 

 

Ali Hassan is 18 years old, and is the eldest son of his family.  He was born in Behsod Valley in the province of Maidan Wardak.  His father was a farmer, but as he did not own any land of his own, he was paid to farm the land of other people.

Ali Hassan was 12 when the Taliban came to power.  His family and the rest of his village are SHIA, the Taliban began to trouble them, claiming that his father was an arms dealer.

So they decided to immigrate to Peshawar in Pakistan, and were based in the Kach Kari camp. It was during his time in this camp that Ali Hassan learned how to weave carpets.

After the collapse of the Taliban regime, Ali Hassan and his family returned to Afghanistan, hoping that their lives may change.  However, soon after their return, Ali Hassan’s father became ill and was too weak to work on the farm.  Ali now has the responsibility to provide for the family.

Ali Hassan and his two brothers, aged 14 and 16, were introduced to Afghan Action Ltd, a carpet weaving training school in Kabul.  They were trained for nine months and now work in Afghan Action’s factory.  Last month (September 2006) Ali Hassan and his two brothers made an income of 12,000Afs ($245), which is enough money to feed a family of six till next month.

In his spare time, Ali Hassan says that he “very much likes to practice Martial Arts”.

 

 

Name: Mezhgan Father's name: Hamza Khan Age: 20 years old Birth place: Paghman, Kabul No of family members: 9

 

Mezhgan has experienced some real hard times throughout her life, both at home with her family and with her husband.

 

Mezhgan is 20 years old and was born into a poor family in the Paghman Valley of Kabul.  When she was six years old, her whole family - including her two sisters, three brothers, grandmother and parents - left Afghanistan for a new life in Iran.

 

Mezhgan’s father was the only member of the family that worked and had to provide for such a large family,  this meant money was tight.  Times were hard for her family, and due to the bad economic situation, Mezhgan’s family decided that Mezhgan should marry.  She was only 12 years old at the time and was married to a man a lot older and from another tribe.

 

During her marriage, Mezhgan had two daughters.  The hard times she had experienced growing up were nothing compared to her life during her marriage.  Her husband cheated on her, beat and insulted her.  Finally she could not stand it anymore, and her parents agreed to her getting a divorce.

 

After her divorce, she moved back to Afghanistan with one of her daughters and the rest of her family.  Soon after their return her father became ill and died.  He had been the only earner in the family, and now Mezhgan, her sisters (aged 5 and 7), her brothers (6, 8 and 10), grandmother and mother had to struggle to survive.

They relied on her uncle, who provided them with around 4,000Afs ($80) a month.  They also received some help from the Aid Committee of Imam Khomaini (an Iranian NGO supporting those who returned back to Afghanistan from Iran).

 

This was not enough to survive on as her family was so large.  She was introduced to Afghan Action’s carpet weaving training school by a neighbour.  She had no experience, but learned carpet weaving through completing nine months of training.

 

Now she is working in Afghan Action’s factory and earning money to provide for her and her daughter.  She would very much like to bring her daughter up to go to school and not marry young.

 

 

Case studies of some of our disabled workers and trainees

 

Name: Ghulam Riza
Father’s name: Safar Mohammad
Age: 18
Position: worker
Present address: Dasht Barachi 13th District, Kabul City

 

Ghulam Riza is one of the disabled workers employed by Afghan Action.  He has been disabled from birth.  He went to school up to the 9th grade, but had to leave due to economical difficulties in his family.  He was introduced to Afghan Action by CCD (local branch of Handicap International) and after completing the six-month training programme he became an employee in Afghan Action’s factory.  Before coming to Afghan Action he was unemployed.  Once he has more financial stability he would like to complete his education.

 

 

Name: Sharafudin
Father's name: Abdul Qader
Age: 30
Position: worker
Present address: 8th district, Kabul city

 

Sharafdin is another of our disabled workers.  He became disabled 13 years ago during the civil war in Kabul city, when a rocket exploded near his house and both his feet and right hand were injured.  After an operation both his feet became very weak and he lost a finger on his right hand.  CCD introduced him to Afghan Action and after the six-month training scheme he is now an employed as a weaver.  Before coming to Afghan Action he was working as a wage based worker.

 

 

Name: Ismail
Father's Name: Jan Ali
Age: 23
Position: worker
Present address: Dashte Barchi

 

Ismail is a disabled worker, 12 years ago he was injured by a rocket explosion near his house during the civil war in the 1990s.  In this explosion his right hand was injured and is now disabled in his right hand.  He was introduced by CCD to Afghan Action and after completing six months training he is now a worker for Afghan Action.

 

 

Name: Ghulam Abaas
Father's Name: Ali Jan
Age: 29
Present address: Dasht Barachi 13th District, Kabul City
Position: Worker
Marital Status: Married and has two children

 

Ghulam Abaas is an employee of Afghan Action; he was disabled at nine years of age.  He fell off the roof of his house and he broke his leg.  After an operation to his right leg, the bone became 15cm shorter.  He was introduced to Afghan Action by CCD as a worker six months ago.  He has 15 years experience in carpet weaving and is an expert weaver.

 

 

Name: Said Ali Riza
Father's name: Said Mosa
Age: 18
Present address: Dasht Barchi 13th district, Kabul city
Position: trainee

 

Ali Riza was injured 7 years ago in his home in the Ghor province Lal Wa Sar Jangal district, during the civil war in the Taliban regime.  He was injured by a rocket explosion to the arm and neck.  His nerves were also cut, after he was left with mental disabilities.  CCD introduced him to Afghan Action and he now works as a trainee.

 

 

Name: Said Hamidullah
Father's name: Said Yaqut Shah
Age: 43
Present address: Char Qala e Wazir Abad 10th district, Kabul City
Position: trainee
Marital Status: married and has three children

 

20 years ago Said Hamidullah worked for the police department as a paramedic.  While working a mine exploded and caused him to lose his left leg to the knee.  As a consequence he became unemployed, but was supported by the Government until 1990.  He was introduced to Afghan Action by CCD in August 2006 and is currently completing his training.