Bpeace in Afghanistan (Again)

Wendy demonstrates the new scarf packaging technique.

Nasima and the slilk weaver.

Big news. Our Nasima was just elected the vice chair of the Afghan Women’s Business Federation, a coalition of 35 businesswomen’s groups across Afghanistan.

To us, Nasima is the gateway to the re-emerging Afghan silk industry. The silk thread comes from Herat and is dyed, then woven in Kabul. Farah, Pam and Paula visited the weaver’s operation today where he gave a very detailed account of the production of Nasima’s beautiful silk scarves, beginning with how the silk worm larvae are placed in their “beds” in Herat with a needle. When Toni learned that the weaver was using chemical dyes, she suggested that he show Nasima what is possible with vegetable dyes, since that might make a better overall marketing “story” for the scarves.

Earlier in the day, in Nasima’s tiny shop, Pam redressed the mannequins in the window with fresh ideas for scarf uses sent by Nasima’s mentor Gwendy Feldman. Toni delivered a special package to Nasima from Gwendy—pink tissue and “Nasima Silk” labels to package the scarves for customers. “Oh,” said Nasima in delight, “I have been waiting for these.” Wendy showed up to join the fun, and showed Nasima how to use the new packaging. The first scarf wrapped was a gift from Nasima to send home to Gwendy.

Nasima showed us the shopping bags she had been using, a pretty small pink paper bag. We asked her if larger bags were available in Kabul. She said “we make these bags.” And sure enough, if you looked closely they were handmade from sheets of paper. Laila chimed in and said there was a poor woman she knew with 14 children with nothing to do and Laila had already secured a “bag contract” from a local bakery for the woman and her children so they could earn some money.

Nasima would like to add silk dresses to her line of scarves and wanted to open a workroom. Toni encouraged her to instead outsource production to one of the other Bpeace associates or at least to a tailor so that Nasima wouldn’t have the burden of managing a workroom and workers in addition to managing her shop.

Business is going well, so well that Nasima is moving to Flower Street, #2 only to Chicken Street in terms of shopping traffic in Kabul. Her rent will jump from $100/month to $300, but she will have a larger shop in a better location. (But those brand new “Nasima Silk” labels and business cards will have to be reprinted, Gwendy. Nasima's address is changing. Sorry.)