FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Some female carpet weavers in northeastern Badakhshan province have complained about the lack of support from relevant institutions and said they sent newly woven carpets to Kabul for further processing.
They said there were no carpet washing and cutting machines in Badakhshan and they have no option but to send their handcrafts to Kabul for further processing which cost them a lot.
Tahmina, a carpet weaving trainer at a carpet weaving centre in Badakshshan, said planned to establish similar carpet weaving facilities in Kisham, Argo and Raghistan districts if supported by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) or any other relevant organizations. Currently, 55 girls and women were involved in carpet weaving in this facility, she added.
Tahmina said the aim of the creation of “Shahr-i-Gullan Noori” carpet weaving centre was to generate employment opportunities for females who could not go to universities and promote the carpet weaving industry.
She said this center offered training for girls and women in the fields of carpet weaving, embroidery and shawl sewing, their hand-woven carpets in accordance with the customers’ orders have a decent market.
Tahmina called the non-existence of carpet washing and cutting machines and the lack proper location for the centre as main challenges in the progress of this facility.
Due to non-existence technical facilities, they sent their woven carpets from Badakhshan to Kabul province for further processing, she said, adding, this cost them a lot of extra expenses so the IEA and other relevant institutions must support such handicraft-businesses to support females in the light of Islamic values.
Muhsina, a student of Badakhshan University’s Sharia Faculty 5th semester work as trainee in the facility, said: “I was very interested in carpet weaving, it is a good occupation and it promotes our economy.”
Sohaila Azizi is another worker of the centre, she said she switched to carpet weaving after the closure of universities in the country; however she is worried about the lack of some other facilities such as the lack of carpet washing and cutting machines.
She asked from the educated people of the country to learn additional skills which can give them more chances of working in their future life and asked the IEA to reopen the doors of schools and universities and support female entrepreneurs.
Hamasa is another carpet weaver who turned to carpet weaving after the closure of educational institutions for girls, she said that she could even help her brothers economically.
She asked IEA government to reopen the doors of the schools and universities for girls as well and allow them to learn extra skills to meet their hopes.
The head of Carpet Weavers’ Union Abdul Ali said that there were 12 carpet weaving centres in Kisham, Tushkan, Baharak and the provincial capital city of Faizabad 350 women had been provided with work opportunities.
With the return of the IEA, women’s interest in carpet weaving has increased, but the lack of carpet cutting and washing machines and the lack of officials’ interest in supporting this business were considered to be the main challenges of carpet weaving in Badakhshan, he added.
Badakhshan’s Industry and Trade official Samarudding Rahmani told Pajhwok Afghan News, that the carpets were still produced with undeveloped and classic methods in that province.
He said: “To develop the carpet weaving industry, we have signed a memorandum with some relevant organization to provide the carpet weavers with more technical facilities for the growth of this industry.”
As admitting the lack of a proper location and some other facilities for washing and cutting the woven carpets, Rahmani said that they are in contact with the leadership of IEA to create an industrial park for the carpet weavers in Badakhshan.
He said that the provincial Industry and Trade Department would support female carpet weavers within the criteria of observing the Islamic hijab, separation of men and women, and other Islamic and national standards.
Aw/nh
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