Dear friends,

It is heartbreaking to see the faces of Afghan women when they first come to us. We see scars of great trauma and long-time abuse. Many have lost all hope. At Afghan Hands, we want to give these women a chance for a better life, and show them that they can create objects of great beauty.

Afghan Hands teaches skills to help Afghan widows gain independence, literacy, and livable wages. At our centers in and around Kabul, women learn to create embroidered shawls and scarves, and their exquisite embroidery connects them to a wider world.

The centers are places to gather, study, and work. We pay the women to attend classes in the morning and embroider in the afternoon. Without this project, most have no means to educate themselves. Through Afghan Hands, they leave the walls of their compounds and attend seminars on basic human, legal, and religious rights. They prepare for work as free women do elsewhere in the world. This way, no one will ever imprison them in the name of law, honor, or religion.

We are a nonprofit organization. We are also linked to the Mirmon Orphanage, and our mutual efforts keep expenses as low as possible so that the funds we raise go to women and children in need. 

For now, Afghan women, by their own hands, are transforming their lives. This is our mission. Thank you for your interest and in their one-of-a-kind handmade pieces. 

Love & gratitude,

Matin & Mike