ZARDOZI AUSTRALIA
Help an Afghan woman survive oppression
Help an Afghan girl get an education
$100 can provide training and empowerment to 5 women
Empowering Afghan Women –
-Breaking the cycle of poverty and oppression
Zardozi Australia has been set up to raise funds to support our sister organisation Zardozi Afghanistan – a grassroots Afghan organisation.
Zardozi Afghanistan has supported over 6,000 poor Afghan women to start their own enterprise, through providing training, mentoring and small business loans.
See this report about how our fundraising has helped Afghan women.
For more information on Zardozi Afghanistan click here
News and Updates
The national launch of Zardozi Australia – Empowering Afghan Women was held on Friday 6 May 2023 at the South Australian House of Parliament.
Aims included:
– Publicly launching the organisation
– To raise awareness of Zardozi’s existence in Australia and Afghanistan
– To publicise the need for donations and that fund raising will be occurring
– To seek support for Zardozi
– To raise awareness of the difficulties currently being faced by Afghan women
Program
The launch was hosted by the Hon. Irene Pnevmatikos Member of the SA Legislative Council
Speakers were;
– Celia Polllard – Zardozi Australia Chairperson
– Hon Katrine Hildyard Minister for Women
– Dr Kerry Jane Wilson Zardozi Australia Company Secretary
– Hasina Aimaq Zardozi Afghanistan Country Director
Attendees
Attendees came as individuals and also from a range of organisations with thirty five people attending on the day.
Organisations included:
– Migrant Resource Centre
– Australian Migrant Resource Centre
– Australia Pakistan Womens Association
– Local Government
– Unions
– SA Employment Tribunal
– SA Working Womens Centre
Event
The event proceeded as planned, perhaps even exceeding expectations.
All speakers provided valuable input and were well received by the attendees.
The technology worked well thanks to the assistance of Parliament House staff and the Hon Irene Pnevmatikos’ staff. This was important given that two key speakers were linked in internationally.
The host facilitated the sessions and the whole launch effectively and our Chairperson gave a very clear overview of Zardozi and its purpose and operations and the purpose of the launch.
The Minister for Women spoke accurately about the issues and Zardozi and offered her strong support to both Afghan women and to Zardozi specifically.
The presentations from Kerry Jane and Hasina had a very big impact on those present as did the video covering Zardozi’s work in Afghanistan.
There was such a high level of enthusiasm and interest well beyond expectations such that some observed there was ‘electricity” in the air.
Outcomes
The event has generated interest and enthusiasm particularly from the Afghan women and their organisations who attended.
We were approached during and straight after the launch by women seeking to be involved with Zardozi activities.
Awareness has been raised and opportunities now exist to build on the launch through the Minister for Women and through the many contact we have now made.
Life for women in Afghanistan
Under the Taliban, these women entrepreneurs – who have already overcome huge family and community opposition to start their own business – cannot leave their homes to earn a living. They are watching their families sink further into poverty and hunger .
Zardozi Australia aims to stand by these women – helping them and their communities to access enough food and warmth to survive. We are also supporting Zardozi in Afghanistan to negotiate with the Afghan IEA government to allow our work to continue for women and girls.
March 2022 was the month all girls were to restart their schooling, however in an abrupt last minute decisions, the Afghan IEA government closed schools for girls over the age of 12.
Zardozi will work with families affected by this devastating decision to build their resilience and find a way to continue girls education.
How we help to break the cycle
Achieving an independent income is critical for these women. An independent income helps turn them from silent dependents with few rights, to significant members of the family on whom others depend not only for basic needs but also for decisions.
Zardozi works to develop and secure independent income for Afghan women through training, facilitating market engagement and providing technical support for business development.
In addition, Zardozi also invests resources in promoting the self-confidence, aspiration and ambition of Afghan women through training, mentoring and simple strategies such as celebrating other successful Zardozi business women.
Zardozi Australia 