WOMEN FOR PEACE IN NIMROZ

Nimroz, Afghanistan, is perhaps the most raw and untamed province, a desert oasis in the southwestern corner nudged between the borders of Iran and Pakistan where sandstorms and smugglers menace the city regularly. As a drug-smuggling hub, Nimroz provides a financial artery for the Taliban. Here, Hasina Azizi Baluch, a Zaranj City business operator, is a beacon for all women. After completing a degree in midwifery in Nimroz, then traveling to India for a degree in business administration, she returned home to manage several aid organizations, earning a reputation as an active defender of peace and women’s rights. 
Hasina started a carpet weaving, tailoring, and handicraft manufacturing business in order to provide opportunities for women, introducing Baluchi cultural products to both national and international markets. The Baluchi are semi-nomadic Sunnis with a rich tradition of storytelling, music and dancing, and an elaborate embroidery design.
Sadat Azizi Handicraft Company was formed in 2019 in the capital city of Zaranj and employs mostly women, all heads of their household. Hasina wants to increase her knowledge in ‘good marketing and leadership’ in order to expand her business. The 5-Day NU / PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® Pathways course has opened up this new world outside Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul. Women in the remote provinces are hungry for opportunities that have only been available in the most well guarded regions. 
After our success with online training in July, PEACE THROUGH BUSINESS® will be trying out virtual training for these women in areas never reached before. Please help us achieve our goal for 2021, by investing in the future of women like Sadat Azizi.