Archive for the development Category

The Soccer Ladies of Afghanistan ~ Help Needed

Posted in Afghanistan, BPeace, NGO, development, soccer on July 3, 2008 by professopatra

I’m coming-out of my summer holiday to post this for my friend Afifa jan. This is her initiative at BPeace which is Businesswomen for Peace.

Please visit the BPeace Blog post on “The Soccer Ladies of Afghanistan” and read below for information on how you can donate to help bring the “Soccer Ladies of Afghanistan” to the US this October for a 3 week apprenticeship with various craftsmen who make soccer balls!

This is good for ZAKAAT!!!

The Soccer Ladies of Afghanistan Need YOU!

http://www.bpeacesoccer.blogspot.com/

Aziza, Ferishta and Taj will be three of 12 Afghan businesswomen traveling to the U.S . in October to apprentice on the job at American firms. This Bpeace program is partially funded by the U.S. Department of State, but we are still short of the funds needed to bring these soccer ladies to the U.S.

The headlines say one thing about Afghanistan. We at Bpeace see a different face. Brave women entrepreneurs creating hundreds of jobs for women, especially widows, in their communities.

Aziza, Ferishta and Taj run soccer ball manufacturing businesses. They provide safe home-based jobs for their workers, all women–many of whom are widows. By stitching 500 soccer balls, a woman can earn enough income to support her family for a year.

Currently, their businesses employ more than 436 women who support more than 2,958 family members–enabling children to be fed, clothed and go to school.

Now these three tenacious women are ready to do more for their country. They want to dramatically expand their businesses and create hundreds more jobs in their communities. They are joining forces to market their soccer balls under one export brand in the U.S. Bpeace volunteers are providing them with management training, branding, and introduction to retailers.

Their three-week apprenticeship in the U.S. will improve their finance, human resources, marketing and customer service skills; provide them with new tools for quality control and exporting; and, most importantly, introduce them to potential distributors and wholesalers for their quality soccer balls.

Please use the ChipIn box at right and contribute what you can to bring Aziza, Ferishta and Taj to the U.S. for three weeks. Together, we can do something big to create more jobs and hope for Afghans who just want a better life for their familes.

Jobs are the key to economic stability everywhere in the world. In Afghanistan, MORE JOBS MEAN LESS VIOLENCE.

Your donation is fully tax-deductible, and you will receive an email receipt from Bpeace.

THANK YOU.