Afghanistan

Sadly, we are not able to show you actual photos of the faces of the Afghan women artisans because the male members of their families forbid it.  We are, however, so very happy to tell you their story…. 

  • Afghan women have been forced into marriages as young as 9 to men in their 50’s.
  • Afghan women are often beaten and raped and afforded no justice.
  • 97% of Afghan women are illiterate.
  • Afghan women are forced to live in fear…even now many wear the burqa for fear of the old regime.
  • There are an estimated 1.5 million widows in Afghanistan with
    an average of 5-8 children each and no source of income.

Shakar, like many Afghan women, has suffered much in her 27 years. At 11, she lost her father. A militant group kidnapped her brother and forced him to fight. Shakar was married at 14. She had her first child at 15. When her father-in-law died, he left 7 children behind in Shakar and her husband’s care. With four children of their own, they care for 11 children ages 2-18, a heavy financial responsibility. Even so, she loves her adopted children as dearly as her own and has persuaded her husband to wait to have the girls married until later as life can be more difficult when girls marry young. She would like to send all of them to school, but can’t afford to at this time, but both she and her husband have jobs now and are hopeful that they can make a better life for themselves and all their children,

The women artisans who make the King’s Garden Bracelet describe their work in this way…“We all are very happy with this job.  It helps us to forget our family problems for the hours that we are working together, laughing and talking.  When we are together we talk and learn what is going on in the world.  Being together makes us brave and gives us courage to fight for our rights.  When we see that our children are happy, that we have money to put them in school and buy clothes for them, it makes us happy.  Thanks be to God for giving us this job.  Thanks to the people who try to provide work for us.”

Learn more about Eternal Threads in Afghanistan»