Is it really embroidered by hand? Yes. Every stitch of every Zardozi product. We connect highly skilled, rural Afghan women with markets. Our trading operations are unfunded, and not for profit: all of our trading income is reinvested to create employment and livelihoods. Women with income are effective agents of development.

Zardozi – Markets for Afghan Artisans grew from the DACAAR Sewing Center. From 1984, the Sewing Center worked with over 3000 Afghan families in refugee camps along the Pakistani border. The Sewing Center marketed women’s embroidered accessories and gift items, so that refugee families could afford schooling and basic health care.

In 2005, Zardozi registered as an independent Afghan NGO, and assumed the Sewing Center’s proud tradition. But the refugee camps are scheduled to close. By the end of 2008, a majority of Zardozi’s embroiderers will have returned to eastern Afghanistan. Zardozi is helping to bring their livelihoods home as well, by working in eastern Afghan villages and in the camps for landless returnees.

In 2007, Zardozi established Ganjina (‘the treasure chest’), Kabul’s premiere venue for local designers and Afghan production NGOs. In addition to Zardozi’s own brand, Ganjina offers clothing, rugs and home decor, handwoven Afghan silks, calligraphy and visual arts, shoes, jewelry, toys, and the Kabul Book Exchange. Visit Ganjina and see Afghanistan beautifully.

Zardozi employs over 60 people in camp outreach, sales and manufacturing. In 2008, Zardozi also launched a programming wing to carry out domestic market linkage projects for home producers in Kabul and the eastern provinces.