Arzu means Hope — and that’s something our sisters in Afghanistan (and so many other parts of the world, for that matter) could really use… and the U.S. Department of Commerce says the carpet industry is Afghanistan’s best near-term prospect for giving the people a legitimate livelihood, bringing security and stability to the country.
The life expectancy for an Afghan woman is just 44 years!
Seeing the pictures on the news… I can’t begin to imagine what life is like for these women, living in the midst of poverty and violence, knowing that there’s not much of a life ahead for their daughters!
For poor illiterate Afghan women, mastering the centuries old tradition of weaving is often their only hope to generate income in a culturally acceptable way.Extra income is often the tipping point in a family’s ability to send their children, especially girls, to school.
ARZU helps weavers and their families break the cycle of poverty through fair labor conditions, by compensating weavers at approximately 150% of the prevailing rate and providing access to education and healthcare
Get the full story — and see the beautiful rugs made by the female Afghan weavers — at ArzuRugs.Org.