From FHI 360
The Goldozi project will assist women in and around Kabul, Afghanistan, to increase the commercial potential of their traditional embroidered products. Goldozi, which is Dari for embroidery, will build the capacity of women embroiderers and entrepreneurs of both genders who represent the embroiderers in the market.
Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Goldozi project will form alliances with chambers of commerce, business federations, export agencies and local service providers to build a strong brand that promotes the ethical and authentic production of Afghan embroidered products made by Afghan women.
The project team will conduct a series of capacity building and training interventions in technical, business and marketing skills to improve product quality and increase sales potential in response to demand in local, regional and international markets. Through improved marketability of embroidered products, the project aims to increase overall sector performance and strengthen the value chain, from input suppliers to retail and export markets.
Working with Ustad Mobile, FHI 360’s technology partner, the Goldozi team will introduce an open-source mobile learning app. Ustad Mobile will customize their open-source code to build an app that tracks sales for real-time project reporting, market trends and up-to-date market information. The app will also create a mobile platform to display sample stitches and designs, as well as skills-refresher modules.
Over the life of the project, Goldozi will create jobs for 500 entrepreneurs, improve the jobs of 15,000 embroiderers (mostly disadvantaged women) and establish a network of stakeholders and value-chain actors who are committed to women’s economic empowerment.
