Zardozi Markets for Afghan Artisans (ZMAA)

Zardozi- Markets for Afghan Artisans is a local nongovernment and non-profit organization. It is working to establish a nationwide network of sustainable business support services for female micro and small entrepreneurs. Zardozi finds solutions for poor Afghan women by providing capacity building as well as practical, on-going business support provided through grass roots called community-based business centers. Zardozi provides training to disadvantaged Afghan women in different sectors including tailoring, beadwork, poultry farming, beautician skills, livestock rearing, food processing, opening personal shops, and other capacity building skills such as leadership, management, communica... read more Zardozi- Markets for Afghan Artisans is a local nongovernment and non-profit organization. It is working to establish a nationwide network of sustainable business support services for female micro and small entrepreneurs. Zardozi finds solutions for poor Afghan women by providing capacity building as well as practical, on-going business support provided through grass roots called community-based business centers. Zardozi provides training to disadvantaged Afghan women in different sectors including tailoring, beadwork, poultry farming, beautician skills, livestock rearing, food processing, opening personal shops, and other capacity building skills such as leadership, management, communication, and basic accounting which will enhance their skills to run their own micro-businesses successfully. Zardozi links and engages female clients in local markets. For many of these women this is their first opportunity to engage in business, for others it is an unprecedented level of engagement with the world outside their home. Zardozi offers loan services to its female clients. The loan fund is managed jointly by Nisfe Jahan and Zardozi, there is a small, one time management fee for each loan but no interest. Approximately 75% of the loans are in-kind and this combined with the absence of interest makes the loan system compliant with Islamic banking principles.