Afghanistan

Growth and change are usually exciting, and that's definitely what is happening at Creative Women. In February of 2009, Creative Women began working with another woman-owned business... Azana, in Kabul, Afghanistan. Although in the past I have focused on working with women in Africa, it was hard to resist this small weaving studio which is revitalizing traditional weaving skills and silk production.

An Overview

Located approximately in the center of Asia, Afghanistan is variously referred to as part of Central Asia, South Asia, and the Middle East. It is bordered by Pakistan in the south and east; Iran in the south and west; Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan in the north; and China in the far northeast.

Afghanistan is a crossroads between the East and the West, and has been an ancient focal point of trade and migrations. During its long history, the land has seen various invaders and conquerors; at the same time local entities (war lords) invaded the surrounding vast regions to form their own empires. In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in the "Great Game" played between the British Indian Empire and the Russian Empire. On August 19, 1919, following the third Anglo-Afghan war, the country regained full independence from the United Kingdom over its foreign affairs.

One of Afghanistan's fertile plains near harvest time.

The Citadel of Herat, located in Western Afghanistan.

Since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has suffered continuous and brutal civil war, in addition to foreign interventions in the form of the 1979 Soviet invasion and the recent 2001 U.S.-led invasion that toppled the Taliban government. Such chaos did not bode well for the arts and artisan traditions; years of fighting and drought nearly destroyed the art of silk production once common in the villages of Sari Pul in North Afghanistan. The supply of silkworm eggs, once ensured by the Department of Agriculture, came to a sudden halt. In addition, the introduction of factory-made synthetic materials replaced the demand for silk products.

Many households left Sari Pul for security reasons, taking with them the knowledge of traditional silk crafts. The women of Sari Pul Province remember how, as little girls, their mothers taught them how to care for silkworms as well as how to make hats, chapans (traditional men's overcoats), and embroideries.

One of Azana's weavers.

Today, Azana has joined other artisans to revitalize silk production and to train Afghan widows in the art of silk weaving, by handing down the intricacies of this craft from master to apprentice. It is a social enterprise with a mission to become a leading brand in the silk industry.

Azana's approach is pragmatic... it is run and managed by Afghans; all raw materials and equipment, from silk to wooden looms, are solely produced in Afghanistan. Yet, anything made at Azana will reflect the high standards and attention to detail of Shaima Breshna, its founder. Every purchase of an Azana scarf helps rebuild Afghanistan in a broad-based, sustainable way. How could I resist working with this group of women?

   "Creative Women allows me to travel and work with creative women. I hope that you, too have the 
    chance to 'Create Beautiful Things.'"

                                                Ellen Dorsch