24/01/2018
Spreading Beyond Boundaries:
Zahra, 21, studying her final year of Bachelors in Law & Policy and daughter of a widowed mother from Bamyan Centre, took up most of the responsibilities of running a handicraft unit, her mother had started with little skill when her father had passed away 19 years back and they had no other resources to survive on. They are a family of four with three children and the mother and the family manages itself with this handicraft business- which is well known as Gauharshad Handicrafts. This unit formally established its production centre in Azhdar village and the retail outlet in Bamyan centre and since then it has gone through many ups and downs with a product range of women garments, ornaments, wallets, decorative bags, etc.
In a meeting with Small Business Owners/Entrepreneurs in Bamyan, AREDP came in contact with her (when she showed her interest to expand her business and registered with AREDP) and took up different support program for her, like trainings on business modules, book keeping, business plan development etc. along with exposure, participation in exhibitions and some equipment. Her participation in exhibitions and buyers-sellers meet exposed her to the details of consumers’ preferences, need for changing designs, the cost effective and environment friendly packaging, branding and labelling etc.
With continuous support from AREDP and linking her business to private sector, Gauharshad Handicrafts has now become one of the best know handicraft production concern in Afghanistan. However, with her participation in overseas exhibitions and the products being highly appreciated, Ms. Zahra is looking forward to have international presence of her products. During the Nature Bazar by Dastkar in Delhi in December 2017, she signed a contract with an Indian Fashion House to supply her products. Though it would be a small consignment, this to her, would upon up the future overseas supply and thereby the market in a better way. She was able to have sales of about 3800 USD in this exhibition.
