Think Creative - Issue 1

Program in focus A closer look at Creative’s work in action

Afghanistan Workforce Development Program

“AWDP’s training programs are golden opportunities for women in Afghanistan”

-Diana Hashimizada Director of Label Step

In Afghanistan’s northern city of Mazar e-Sharif, rug weaving is a traditional way for families—particularly women—to generate much-needed income. Thanks to a Swiss nonprofit called Label Step, scores of women rug weavers are working in four centers that allow them to work outside of their homes, as well as collaborate on designs and techniques. Through the USAID-supported Afghan Work- force Development Program (AWDP), nine members of the NGO’s staff took intensive seminars on marketing, finance and project management that are helping to grow sales and improve productivity. “We don’t have a university or a training institute where we could go to learn these skills,” says Diana Hashimizada, the Director of Label Step. “Fortunately, the training and skills that we added [through AWDP] has had a very positive impact on our life.” The program addresses high unemployment, scarcity of technically skilled Afghan labor and a lack of trained business managers by providing demand-driven quality technical and business education, training, job placement and support services. The program has benefitted more than 39,000 Afghans. n

Photo by JimHuylebroek

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