GlobalGiving.org: Afghan Women Learn Traditional Carpet Weaving

Hoping to Expand

Toc Dunlap — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:34:12 GMT

Beautiful rugs have been completed this year by the women being
instructed in carpet weaving at two of AIL’s learning centers. Because each
carpet takes months to complete, space is limited to only a few
students at a time. We’re still hoping to expand this program in the
near future so that additional students can learn this fine craft.

We are thankful to everyone who has supported this project.

Carpet Weaving Being Taught In Two Locations

Toc Dunlap — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:51:05 GMT

AIL Herat now has two centers for carpet weaving. One location is in the Yacoobi Foundation educational learning center with 24 students. The other location is a newly opened class in the restored Citadel in Herat City. Currently there is one loom with two carpet weavers. In the same room are the silk-weaving looms, where the ancient craft of silk-weaving is being taught.

Showcasing this skill to the public

Toc Dunlap — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 17:14:29 GMT

The carpet weaving projects have expanded as AIL is now offering this instruction at the newly re-opened Citadel in Herat City. This location is for the public, and classes are being held on a regular basis and the required materials and instructors are being paid for by AIL. As interest in this skill grows, the need for additional frames becomes necessary. AIL Staff took a frame for carpet making from one of the learning centers and will be making plans to purchase two additional frames soon in order to continue the production of carpets.

Continuous Cycle of Learning

AIL Staff — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 19:12:04 GMT

Afghan women continue to learn new carpet weaving skills and to share their knowledge and skills with each other. Right now there are carpet weavers working from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm daily. They are able to work on at least 2 pieces at a time so that as one is completed, another can begin. As they are ready to move on to open their own businesses, others are able to take their place. The learning is on-going and supportive.

Five Reason's to Celebrate

Toc Dunlap — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 20:10:04 GMT

Five Reasons to Celebrate

The year 2010 has been one of many challenges for people throughout the world. In Afghanistan, insecurity, violence, and poverty continue to threaten communities. But the people of Afghanistan are strong and hopeful, and they are working hard to overcome these challenges. At the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), we see it every day. You can help Afghans, particularly women and children, to create a better future for themselves and their families with a contribution to AIL through Global Giving.

Looking back upon the year, what we focus on are our reasons to celebrate.

As a generous donor to AIL, you are a gift to us and to the people of Afghanistan. We thank you and they thank you!!!

In fact, you make all of the other reasons to celebrate possible. Here is the rest of AIL’s top five reasons to celebrate in 2010:

Fatima’s story. Fatima is 22 is and has just graduated from Herat University and come to work with AIL. As a young girl, her school was closed by the Taliban. She continued studying in one of AIL’s underground home schools and in 2002, reentered high school, graduated and went on to university. Today, her dream, we are humbled to learn, is to work for AIL. She said, “AIL works for people, AIL helps needy people and AIL works among people. Also AIL’s wish is that Afghan woman and girls can support themselves and their families so the Afghan woman and girls are interested in this project.”

Each of the more than 7.9 million people (70% female) who have participated in AIL’s programs since 1996 is a reason to celebrate. In spite of many challenges, they have chosen to improve their lives and their communities by attending AIL’s Teacher Training, Learning Centers, workshops, and schools; seeking health care and health education at AIL’s health clinics; or receiving AIL’s Community Health Workers into their homes.

AIL’s new gynecological and surgical hospital opened in October 2010. It is the only private women’s hospital in Herat province. To keep the reasons to celebrate continuing, fees paid by patients who can afford them will eventually help subsidize AIL’s services at community-based clinics.

The Cultural Association Center, a new Learning Center AIL opened in April 2010, located in a rural area about 50 km from Herat City. The people of the area are very poor and primarily illiterate. The community learned about AIL’s ability to help them offer educational opportunities to their citizens and worked together to build a small facility. Although all communities are involved in the establishment and sustainability of their centers, this rural area was able to rally its citizens to make this project a success. Through November, nearly 300 students, all of them female, have attended courses at the Center. Subjects included Arabic, Tailoring/Sewing, Math, and Literacy.

Your renewed support will help AIL and the Afghan people start 2011 with renewed hope. If you have not yet renewed your support for AIL, please donate today and tell a friend. Thank you and best wishes.

Grateful and Undaunted

Sakena Yacoobi — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 18:34:59 GMT

Grateful and Undaunted

At this time of year, we are reminded of our many blessings and how the people in our lives enrich us and bring joy to every day. All of us at the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) are especially grateful to you, for your generous support of our efforts to help the people of Afghanistan overcome many challenges. Through education, teacher training, health care programs, and emergency assistance, as one woman put it, “… AIL is like an experienced mother in our society who is here to get more information to the women of Afghanistan.” We are able to serve that vital role – for the women, men, and children of Afghanistan – because of your contribution. Thank you!

As you celebrate this Holiday Season and anticipate the approach of the New Year, we hope that you will think of us again and make another donation to help ensure AIL is able to continue our work. You have most likely heard that Afghanistan continues to suffer terrible insecurity and poverty. But AIL is undaunted by the headlines because we know that the people of Afghanistan are working hard every day to improve their lives and the future of their country. Together with the people of Afghanistan, we are confident because we know that people like you believe in us and stand by us.

When you make your donation, check out the Tribute Card and Gift Card options – and please tell a friend about AIL and encourage them to make a donation too. As AIL’s founder and executive director, Dr. Sakena Yacoobi has said, “Reach out to others and give a gift to yourself.”

No matter what our circumstances today, when we believe in each other and work together, we can be assured that tomorrow will be better. Seasons Greetings and thank you again.

Sakena Yacoobi

AIL Executive Director

Update

Toc Dunlap — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:10:01 GMT

Along with the traditional carpet weaving there is a new skill being taught in the YF Women’s Learning Center called Silk weaving. It is a traditional craft in Herat that was almost lost in the war years. A woman who remembers how to do the silk weaving is reviving the craft at AIL centers. It is a very good skill for poor women or widows to learn so that they can earn extra money for their families. Thank you so much for continuing to support these traditional skills that help many Afghan women support their families.

Summer Update 2010

Sondra Johnson — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:11:14 GMT

The Afghanistan Institute of Learning carpet weavers are widows that have very limited ways to earn a living. Many live with extended family. AIL has space at an education learning center where set up looms allow eight women to create handmade carpets. The center has a master carpet weaver who works with the less advanced weavers in an apprenticeship program. Between January and June, 2010, the weavers have completed fifteen carpets and are presently working on three carpets.

Summer Update from the Afghan Institute of Learning

Sondra Johnson — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:47:27 GMT

We’d like to share some great news with you that will give you a better understanding of our project and the work we do in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Through the generosity of the Skoll Foundation, a timely video was produced about life in Afghanistan and the work AIL is doing to make a difference. The film producer and crew did a beautiful job capturing the essence of the best of the Afghan people, and the struggles they work with to achieve a better life. This film is now on YouTube, and it will be the best seven minutes you spend today. Moderated by Sakena Yacoobi, AIL’s executive director, this video offers a true taste of Afghanistan. Here’s the link to view it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7t1Xu_MwHg We are also adding this as a permanent link to this project for future viewing. Your donation makes a precious impact on the lives of Afghan men, women and children. We thank you for your past support, and encourage you to forward this message to those who can help to continue this important work.

A reminder: June 16 is a special Global Giving Matching Day! - GlobalGiving will be matching all donations up to $1,000 per donor per project for this project at a 50% match. If you could like to donate again to our project, your donation will go further on June 16th. Thank you for your support….

Links:

Wonderful Video about AIL and Life in Afghanistan

Spring Update

Sondra Johnson — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:10:28 GMT

Most of the AIL carpet weavers are poor widows that have very limited ways to earn a living. Widows in Afghanistan live with their extended family and are given a limited amount of space in which to live (one room of their own). Since one room is not enough space for women to set up a loom and begin their own carpet weaving business, AIL has set up looms in an AIL center for women to use. The center has a master carpet weaver who works with the less advanced weavers in an apprenticeship program. When a hand-woven carpet has been completed, AIL sells the piece and pays the weavers a living wage. In 2009 over ten carpets were completed with several more in process. Reminder: On March 16, 2010, GlobalGiving will be matching all donations made to any project on www.globalgiving.org by 30% (up to $1,000 per person)! If you could like to donate again to our project, your donation will go further on March 16th!!!

An invitation to read our newsletter

Sondra Johnson — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:46:10 GMT

Afghanistan is in the news a lot these days. As a donor to a project in Afghanistan, you may be wondering if change is happening, and if your donation really makes any difference. Following is a message from Dr. Sakena Yacoobi that answers your questions. It’s part of our annual newsletter, where we also share progress reports from several areas, and the impact AIL’s work is having in Afghan lives. This newsletter is below in a PDF format; we invite you to click on it and read ALL the details……

From Sakena Yacoobi: First, I want to thank all of you for supporting the work of the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL). Your support is so important. Yes, the funds you send help us to bring education and health to so many Afghan women and children. But, more importantly, in this time of increasing violence and insecurity in Afghanistan, your support helps Afghans to know that they are not forgotten. It gives ordinary Afghan women, men and children the courage to keep studying, to keep going to clinics and to keep working for peace.

Today you probably hear that Afghanistan is a place of war, terrorist bombings, burning of schools, kidnapping, drugs and all kinds of other horrible things. And it is true that in every province of Afghanistan, including the capitol, every single day, these kinds of things are happening. But what you might not hear in your news is that everyday many women, men and children of Afghanistan get up in the morning….. say goodbye to their family…..and go to work….. go to schools and centers ….. go to trainings……because they know that they must be educated. They know that the only way they can stop these problems is to be educated. So they are learning, they are teaching and they are not afraid.

And when there is no electricity or no clean water or no school or no road or no job and there is no help from the national government or the international agencies, Afghans, particularly women, are joining together in community or with their local officials to find ways to solve their own problems. And, with your help, AIL is helping them to do this. I want to let you know that as dark as it seems to be in Afghanistan now, much is happening. Afghans, themselves, are changing. They are educating themselves; they are making sure that their children are educated; they are finding new ways to solve their problems. I would ask you to walk with us a little further on our journey towards peace.

TO READ the rest of our annual newsletter, please click on the PDF link below and it will open for your inspection-

Attachments:

2009 Newsletter (PDF)

A Special Giving Opportunity.....

Sondra Johnson — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:52:20 GMT

Thank you for your support. Your desire to make a difference in this world has made a difference, and we are so thankful that Afghan people have had their lives changed with your help.

We wanted to share with you a very special opportunity to give more than 100% from November 10 through December 1st. Please share this with those you know who care. During this time, we are privileged to receive additional matching funds from your donation through Global Giving of at least 30%. The need is still great. Afghanistan struggles to become a country of strength and stability.

Six Afghan women work full time as carpet weavers in an AIL center hear Herat. These women get paid a living wage and some of the profits from the completed carpets, while doing work that carries on an Afghan tradition. They complete Kashani style carpets, and in the last several months have completed 3 carpets with a number of additional carpets in process.

Sakena Wishes to Thank Her Supporters

Sondra Johnson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:11:19 GMT

There's a new focus on women worldwide. The New York Times magazine dedicated their entire issue one week in August on women in the developing world. Of particular focus was a newly launched book written by the well-known Pulitzer winning couple Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl DuWunn titled: "Half The Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide". The press focus on this timely book is significant- from reviews in Harvard and People magazine, to upcoming segments on shows like "The Today Show", the time has come for women and their issues worldwide to be in the spotlight.

Sakena Yacoobi and her organization the Afghan Institute of Learning is one of the topics in Chapter Nine of the book. Dr. Yacoobi grew up in Herat, Afghanistan and then came to the United States to study at the University of the Pacific and Loma Linda University. Concerned about the condition of her people back in Afghanistan, Sakena returned to Pakistan to work in Afghan refugee camps and later went to Afghanistan. Although the Taliban forbade girls from getting an education in Afghanistan, Sakena was instrumental in establishing a string of secret girls schools with community support.

Today, the Afghan Institute of Learning has multiple education programs in Pakistan and in seven provinces of Afghanistan. There are educational learning centers for women and children, preschool programs, post-secondary institutes, a university, and teacher training programs. In addition, AIL has an in-depth program of health education and treatment for women and small children. Since its start in 1995, AIL has trained nearly 16,000 teachers and over 3.5 million women and children have received a quality education. With the health programs included, AIL has directly impacted over 6.7 million Afghans.

Sakena has been and continues to be recognized for her work. Her philosophy is to develop a program from the grass-roots level so the community members are an integral part of the process. State Kristof and DuWunn in their book Half The Sky- "American organizations would have accomplished much more if they had financed and supported Sakena, rather than dispatching their own representatives to Kabul...The best role for Americans who want to help Muslim women isn't holding the microphone at the front of the rally, but writing the checks and carrying the bags in the back."

Dr. Yacoobi and the work of the Afghan Institute of Learning have been supported by multiple grantors and organizations over the years. "I wish to thank everyone who has helped in this important work," states Sakena. "I want to share with each and every contributor the joy of seeing a young woman, who has a renewed interest in life because she can now read, or the happiness of a widow who has learned a skill that will allow her to support her children.

"We now have children who are healthy because of inoculations, and women who did not die during childbirth who have happy, healthy babies. My wish is that these small steps that allow awareness and growth in families will lead to the growth of our country."

Recently, we spoke with Sakena, and she has this message to all the supporters of AIL:

"It is an honor to be included in Nicholas' and Sheryl's book Half The Sky. So many foundations and individuals have contributed to the work that the Afghan Institute of Learning has been able to do in Afghanistan.

"From the bottom of my heart I want to thank all who have understood the plight of Afghan women and children, and have reached out with compassionate, caring support.

"May God reward your generosity......."

Sakena

August 2009 Update

Alison Hendry — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:11:39 GMT

Recently, AIL was asked by the Afghan Ministry of Women’s Affairs to report on the impact AIL’s programs have had. We were amazed by our findings. Since beginning in 1996 through May 2009, 220,970 Afghans have been educated and received skills training in AIL schools, centers and post-secondary programs. Overall 6,778,026 Afghan lives have been directly impacted by AIL programs.

One of the skills that Afghan widows have learned at AIL centers is carpet weaving. Studying under master carpet weavers, the women learn to weave high quality carpets while earning a salary that enables them to support their families. After their apprenticeship, the women are then able to use what they have learned to support their families by weaving carpets.

There are currently six carpet weavers working in an AIL center near Herat, Afghanistan. These six women are working on three pieces of carpet which are 57% completed. These six women are paid a living wage for their work carrying on an Afghan tradition.

May 2009 Update

Alison Hendry — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:36:09 GMT

During March, two pieces of carpet were completed and two others are 97% completed. Work began on these four pieces of carpet in December. Currently six poor Afghan women are beneficiaries of this program.

Update on Carpet Weaving Program

Alison Hendry — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:00:01 GMT

Since the last update, AIL has added one more woman to its carpet weaving program. The program now has a total of 11 women involved. Most of the carpet weavers are widows that have to other way to earn a living. Widows in Afghanistan live with their extended family, and are usually given a limited amount of space in which to live (one room of their own). One room is not enough space for the women to set up a loom to begin their own carpet weaving business, so AIL has set up looms in two centers for the women to use. Each center has master carpet weavers that work with the less advanced weavers in a program much like an apprenticeship. When a piece of carpet has been completed, AIL sells the piece and pays the weavers a living wage.

Snapshot (2008) of the Carpet Weaving Project

Alison Hendry — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:16:44 GMT

Creating Hope International’s project partner, the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL), trains widows and poor women to weave quality carpets at two centers in Herat, Afghanistan. While they are weaving carpets in the center, they are paid a salary (actually more than the salary of a teacher) and the finished carpets are then sold by AIL to help defray the costs of the program. Although some of the women are competent enough to weave carpets on their own, many do not have space where they live to put up the large loom that the carpets are woven on. There are currently 10 women working on three carpets at the centers. So far in 2008, the women have produced one very large carpet and seven smaller carpets.

Update of the Carpet Weaving Project—August 2007

Toc Dunlap — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 09:44:37 GMT

The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) trains widows and poor women to weave quality carpets in Herat, Afghanistan. While they are weaving carpets in the center, they are paid a salary (actually more than the salary of a teacher) and the finished carpets are then sold by AIL to help defray the costs of the program. Although some of the women are competent enough to weave carpets on their own, many do not have space where they live to put up the large loom that the carpets are woven on. In 2007, AIL opened a new Women’s Learning Center in a very poor area near Herat City. Because the center was new and had been built by AIL, there were more large rooms. The carpet weaving project was moved to this location. There are currently 10 women working on carpets at the center. Two of the women are master carpet weavers and teach the others. These two women attended training on marketing in April offered by a crafts organization. This project continues to be very helpful for widows and poor women.

Annual Report

Afghan Institute of Learning — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:46:07 GMT

Attachments:

AIL 2005 Annual Report (PDF)

Update

Afghan Institute of Learning — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 20:44:48 GMT

The Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) trains widows and poor women to weave quality carpets at its center in Herat, Afghanistan. While they are weaving carpets in the center, they are paid a salary (actually more than the salary of a teacher) and the finished carpets are then sold by AIL to help defray the costs of the program. Although some of the women are competent enough to weave carpets on their own, many do not have space where they live to put up the large loom that the carpets are woven on. There are currently 10 women working on four carpets at the center. In 2006, two women saved enough to begin working on carpets in their homes.

Update

Afghan Institute of Learning — Fri, 04 Nov 2005 19:18:31 GMT

Creating Hope International shares this mid-year report from the Afghan Institute of Learning, highlighting some of AIL's recent successes!

Attachments:

AIL Report (DOC)