Rubia Handwork, Afghanistan 2010
DFW Funding: $32,693
Web Site: http://www.rubiahandwork.org/
Interim Follow-Up Report Sept. 2011
The Mission: to develop economic opportunities through craft heritage, to support education and to promote health and well being for Afghan women and their families.
The Project: Dining for Women's donations will fund the development and implementation of Rubia’s Threads of Change Program. The integrated program in literacy, health, human rights, civics and handwork will impact over 600 women in Nangtahar, Afghanistan, mentoring emerging leaders to continue and expand the program. This program teaches practical skills and disseminates information about rights, civics, income and health, thus empowering Afghan women and their families.
Alternative livelihoods are the key to Afghanistan’s social and economic
recovery. Subsistence farmers who had supported their families with
poppy cultivation are now seeking other means of economic empowerment.
Why We Love this Program:
From Rubia: “What differentiates us from other NGOs is the access and context in which we work. Most NGOs working in Afghanistan avoid programs in the countryside due to lack of security. Rubia, through its grassroots network and strong relationship with other local organizations, works primarily among the rural population, the most marginalized of Afghan women; our programs are driven by their needs and capacity. We are committed to improving conditions for Afghan women and their families in incremental, sustainable steps. Above all, we respect and function within the cultural norms and day-to-day realities of Afghan family life.”
