From Home to Homepage: Afghan Women in Business

The number of women’s shops on MadebyAfghanWomen.com has grown to 111

Despite immense challenges, our five Digital Gurus across various provinces of Afghanistan—together with our dedicated team members outside the country—continued implementing the E-Commerce Empowerment Program with determination and impact. The program is supported by two staff members and two volunteers based in the United States.

Over the past quarter, we have provided hands-on e-commerce training to more than 50 women entrepreneurs through a mix of in-person and virtual sessions. In addition to group sessions, 30 women received tailored one-on-one coaching to strengthen their product development, pricing, packaging, and digital marketing strategies. 

As a result, 30 women successfully launched their online shops on MadebyAfghanWomen.com, bringing the total number of active shops to 111. This milestone marks a significant step toward expanding Afghan women’s access to global markets.

Encouragingly, 10 of our trained entrepreneurs have already completed international sales—a clear testament to their perseverance and the untapped potential of Afghan women.

During this quarter, we also organized the 2nd Afghan Women's Global Business Forum to spotlight the challenges and successes of Afghan women entrepreneurs, strengthen connections with the Afghan diaspora, and open pathways to mentorship, partnerships, and international sales.

Resilience Amid Connectivity Challenges

At the beginning of September, news broke that the Taliban intend to disconnect all Wi-Fi connections across Afghanistan, and by the end of the month, a full internet shutdown took place, lasting for 48 hours. Although connectivity has since been restored, overall access remains unstable.

For women entrepreneurs—many of whom rely on mobile data as their only means to stay connected—the situation has become increasingly costly and challenging. Yet, despite these barriers, Afghan women continue to work, learn, and make every effort to remain connected to the world.

Their resilience is inspiring, and it strengthens our resolve to continue supporting them. Let’s keep standing with Afghan women as they strive to sustain their businesses and voices in the face of adversity.

Highlights in Numbers

50 women entrepreneurs trained in e-commerce

30 women received one-on-one coaching and support

30 women launched online shops on MadebyAfghanWomen.com

10 women achieved international sales (U.S., Australia, Montenegro, and Denmark)

20+ in-person and virtual training sessions delivered

Bi-weekly networking sessions with expert speakers

9 team members and volunteers driving the program

1 inspiring success story featured: Seven Sisters in Herat, employing 16 women

 Story Spotlight: Seven Sisters – Entrepreneurs and Change-Makers

Three years ago, a group of sisters in Herat decided to start a small production business. When they were choosing a name, their brother suggested “Seven Sisters,” symbolizing their unity and strength—and that’s how their journey began.

Today, Seven Sisters is not just a family business but a model of women-led empowerment.

‍ Employs10 full-time women

Provides Contract work to 6 women working from home

Offers Skills training and income opportunities

Sells Handmade products on https://madebyafghanwomen.com/store/sevensister/

Featured: Documented by our team as a success story in Herat

Their dedication demonstrates how Afghan women entrepreneurs are transforming challenges into opportunities, creating livelihoods, and uplifting other women in their communities.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the GlobalGiving Disaster Response Team, the GlobalGiving Global Grant Programs Team, and all our individual donors. Your continued support makes it possible for us to deliver sustainable, meaningful impact for Afghan women entrepreneurs.

Your contributions are more than financial—they are a vote of confidence in the power and potential of Afghan women. We are deeply grateful for your belief in our mission and your partnership in advancing women’s economic empowerment in Afghanistan.

Links:

• Global Business Forum's Report in Washington DC

• Featured Afghan Women on our E-Commerce Portal (PPT)

Empowering 50 additional Women Entrepreneurs Across 10 Provinces to Build and Sell Online

In the face of immense challenges, Afghan women are finding new paths to economic independence through digital platforms. Our E-Commerce Empowerment Program has taken root across Afghanistan, led by a dedicated team of five Digital Gurus on the ground in five key provinces: Kabul, Herat, Mazar, Bamyan, and Jalalabad. The program is supported by two staff members and two volunteers based in the United States. Over the past quarter, we have delivered hands-on e-commerce training to 50 women entrepreneurs through a combination of in-person and virtual sessions. Beyond group training, 20 women received tailored, one-on-one coaching to refine their products, pricing, packaging, and digital marketing strategies. As a result of these efforts, 15 women successfully launched their online shops on madebyafghanwomen.com, expanding their reach to a global customer base. Through bi-weekly networking sessions featuring expert speakers, these entrepreneurs are building their confidence, skills, and networks. Already, five of our trained entrepreneurs have successfully completed international sales, shipping their handcrafted products to the United States and Canada.

Our Numbers! 

50 women entrepreneurs trained in e-commerce

20 women received one-on-one support and coaching

15 women launched their online shops on madebyafghanwomen.com

10 provinces covered: Kabul, Herat, Mazar, Bamyan, Jalalabad, Jawzjan, Daikundi, Faryab, Kapisa, Nimroz,

Women sold and shipped products internationally (U.S. and Canada)

10+ training sessions conducted (in-person and virtual)

Bi-weekly networking sessions with expert speakers

9 team members and volunteers supporting the program

1 powerful success story featured: Gulafroz in Herat, employing 35 women

Story Spotlight: Gulafroz – Entrepreneur and Change-Maker

One of these inspiring entrepreneurs is Gulafroz, a former member of the Provincial Council from Ghor province, who rebuilt her life and business in Herat after the Taliban’s return to power. Determined not just to survive, but to uplift others, she launched a women-led clothing production business. Today, Gulafroz:

‍ Employs 15 full-time women

Provides contract work to 20 others

Offers skills training and income generation

Sells products on madebyafghanwomen.com

Exports via a partner vendor in the U.S. diaspora

Allowed us to document her journey and business in Herat

We thank GlobalGiving Disaster Response team, GlobalGiving Global Grant Programs team and our individual donors for their continued support, enabling us faciliate sustainable and impactful work with Afghan Women Entrepreneurs. 

Links:

• Link of our published report on our site.
• Our exclusive online sales portal for Afghan Women Entrepreneurs