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The Design
Center focuses on programs to build women's technical
skills. The project will focus on three media-textiles,
jewelry, and carpets and will include elements such as
international design consultancies; product development,
design, and production workshops; a designer mentoring
program; international design school collaboration; artisan
business capacity building activities; and targeted
marketing activities. The project will also establish a
Resource Library as part of the AWDC that will serve as a
much needed information source for Afghan Artisans.
The Project will
also include a 20 month tailoring program that will train
Afghan women to be tailors. The graduates of this program
will have the option of working in a small factory or
setting up tailoring businesses in their own homes.
ATA expects this
project to have a noticeable impact on the Afghan artisan
sector and eventually the Afghan economy. In particular,
this project will give opportunities to Afghan women
to improve their skills, take pride in their work, and to
increase their family income. The AWDC has the potential to
become a center for artisan activity in Afghanistan.
The AWBF Design Center
Mission and Objectives
The Afghanistan Women’s Design Center’s mission is to offer
high quality instruction and practical application in order
to increase the production, marketing and sales capacity of
women’s enterprises in the areas of carpet weaving, textiles
and jewelry manufacturing.
The
design center is funded for two years after which it will be
self-sustaining. A number of international companies have
already expressed interest in providing training and/or
support for the design center.
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AWDC
Design and Entrepreneurial Courses
The Center will
consist of design courses for three product-types for which
there is a strong potential for market growth and subsequent
employment for women in: textiles, carpets and jewelry. AWDC
house the design training facilities, and with this, the
machinery and accompanying materials necessary for
edification and product manufacture, the latter which will
be marketed and sold, the proceeds contributing to the
Center’s sustainability. Design courses will initially be
lead by a mix of local and foreign artisans, the latter
residing in Kabul for a period of approximately two months,
teaching students and training local trainers-to-be
throughout this period.
AWBF has
identified Aid To Artisans as a consulting firm that has
expertise in the coordination of design centers and/or has
proven expertise in designing practical curriculum within
the sectors of textiles, carpets, and jewelry.
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Design Center Curriculum
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