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Weaving enterprise and compassion

together for a brighter future

Fatema Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed Initiative


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Introduction

Employment

Social Services

Commercial Viability

Products and Awards

Impact and Benefits

Locations

Product Gallery

Contents

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“Empowering women

for a fruitful and

sustainable future”

Introduction

The numbers are stark with child mortality above 25%, an average lifespan of 44 years, and 42% of the population living on less than $1 per day. This is the reality of modern day Afghanistan. It was this poverty that moved Her Highness Sheikha Fatema Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed to establish FBMI, an Initiative dedicated to alleviating this long-term distress, by providing resources, compassion and the opportunity for impoverished women to free themselves from economic hardship and take a leading role in Afghanistan’s future.

By partnering with Tanweer Investments based in Afghanistan, Fatema Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed’s aim is to create sustainable development by empowering women. The Initiative provides women with employment in the carpet production process, an industry they already possess skills in. It also offers them and their families critical social services in healthcare and education. The result is a holistic effort whose benefits are seen not only in fruitful employment, but also in healthier and happier families and communities.

With 3,000 low income Afghans employed, FBMI has already achieved significant success in helping the people of Afghanistan to help themselves. It is testament to the vision and commitment of Her Highness that so much has been accomplished already, and how much more is to come.



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Employment

The basic premise of the FBMI programme is to provide

sustainable opportunity. Women in particular are empowered

by using the weaving and spinning skills they already possess,

supported further with vocational training. By providing the

resources they require, such as looms and wool, and paying

a fair market rate for their work, the Initiative gives women

their dignity to feed and care for their families as well as

support the wider community.

FBMI currently employs 3,000 low income Afghans; over

70% of them are women and 35% of them are widows. The

majority engage in spinning and weaving activities from the

comfort of their home. Others hold office positions in the

headquarter facilities in Kabul and Jalalabad. Many of them

are residents of refugee camps. As the organization and

the Initiative grows, it will seek to expand into new areas

of Afghanistan, and to serve as a role model for other like

Initiatives to improve the life of Afghanistan’s citizens.

In addition to those actively involved in carpet production,

the Initiative also contributes to the employment of medical,

educational, vocational and administrative staff. These are

particularly important in ensuring that the social and welfare

aspects are in line with its commercial sustainability, a core

component of its long term aims.

“The numbers give a sense of

scale, but it is the light in the

eyes of the people involved

that tells the real story.”



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Social Services

Healthcare

Education

A unique and integral part of this model is to provide the families of working women with critical social services. The Initiative is

open to all Afghan women over the age of 15 years. These women are required to sign a contract of

accountability, an undertaking to participate in the healthcare programme and ensure that all children attend school. FBMI social service providers register families and conduct house visits to ensure this. As

a result, the health of the employees, their families and the entire community is improved and the scourge of child labour eradicated.

Free healthcare is provided to all FBMI employees and their families. Doctors visit registered family homes once a month to conduct health checks and provide vaccinations. In addition, FBMI medical staff provide on-site health education and dispense essential supplies such as soap, masks and simple medications. Patients requiring additional attention are referred to local hospitals, where FBMI has secured agreements and has since treated approximately 2,000 employees for illness and pre-natal care. In that effort, FBMI’s ambulance continues to provide emergency support to the local communities.

FBMI’s education department works to prevent child labour with a positive focus on facilitating education. All children under the age of 15, boys and girls, must attend full-time education and FBMI supervisors work closely with the schools to ensure attendance. There is a total of 7,032 children currently enrolled. In addition, women receive adult life training in health and hygiene, literacy, numeracy, and vocational subjects.



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Commercial Viability

A fundamental tenet of FBMI is to be commercially viable and sustainable in the

long term. In order to achieve this, it operates a local value chain entirely within

Afghanistan; buying local wool to support farmers, using natural vegetable dyes in

the spinning operations, and producing finished carpets for export to world markets.

Since the start of the scheme in June 2010, approximately 700 looms have been

used and over 10,000 carpets have been produced. In addition to traditional

designs, the Initiative is developing a range of contemporary carpets, including a

selection especially tailored for children’s rooms.

These carpets are sold worldwide. They are also exhibited and marketed through

international Interior Design fairs and events such as the Dubai Carpet and Art

Oasis. In addition, these carpets are supplied through partnerships with a number of

Interior Design Firms.

Products and Awards

In recognition of its achievements, the Initiative has received a number of awards, both for the quality of its products and the social impact of its programme:

DUBAICARPET & ART OASIS GOLDEN

AWARD2011

DOMOTEXMIDDLE EAST

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

AWARD2011

COMMERCIAL INTERIOR

DESIGN AWARD2011

BEST SUSTAINABLE DESIGN INITIATIVE

APPRECIATION AWARD

2011

AFGHAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES

DUBAICARPET & ART OASIS GOLDEN

AWARD2012

TOP EXPORTER

AWARD2012

AFGHAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRIES



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Impact and Benefits

The obvious and immediate benefit of the FBMI Program is to create

a revenue stream whereby participants can regain their lives with

confidence and dignity. This revenue stream is complemented by the

provision of healthcare and education to ensure healthy, productive

and peaceful communities. It is estimated that the entire operation has

spread the benefits of sustainable economic development to more than

18,000 individuals in Kabul and Jalalabad.

However, much attention is paid to ensuring maximum benefit for the

wider community, such as buying and using only indigenous wool to

support nomadic farmers. This has a further benefit of enhancing the

value of the finished produce by guaranteeing its 100% Afghan origin.

Environmental impact is also closely monitored and minimized.

As part of FBMI’s environmental awareness commitment,

environmentally friendly chemical-free vegetable dye is used.

In addition, any contaminated water is stored in septic tanks and

disposed of correctly, ensuring that the Kabul River is not polluted.

The Initiative focuses its efforts on those who need its support the

most, the poorest and most disadvantaged in society. Employment is

provided for those living in refugee camps near the Pakistan Border,

and a further extension of the Initiative provides vital employment

for 80 women at a production facility established within Badam Bagh

Prison in Kabul.



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UNITED KINGDOMFBMI Showroom

Unit 14 Park Royal Oriental Carpet Centre

1 Chandos Road, London, NW10 6NF

Tel: +44 (0) 208 961 5552

Tel 2: +44 (0) 791 817 7777

E-mail: [email protected]

AFGHANISTANFBMI Centre

Afshar, Kabul

Tel: +93 (0) 7855 55555


UAEFBMI Showroom

865a Jumeirah Beach Road

Opposite Burj Al Arab

PO Box 27677, Dubai, UAE

Tel: +971 (0) 4 388 1103

Tel 2: +971 (0) 50 200 1149

Fax: +971 (0) 4 388 1136


Locations



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Product Gallery

BLOSSOMANTIQUE TREEAGRA BLUE SEA

CLASSICCHOCOLATEBUTTERFLY COURAGE


Fatema Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed Initiative Fatema Bint Mohammed Bin Zayed Initiative

DREAM HOPECREATIVE MAMLUK HAREEZCRAZE GARDENFROST INSPIRATION

PACIFIC BROWN ROYAL MEDALLIONMEDALLION PATCHWORKKAZAKH SKY PALACEPACIFIC ORANGE ROYAL

Documents

rugs in dubai | carpets in dubai | carpets in abu … › galorg › 29102015124553FBMI Brochure...international Interior Design fairs and events such as the Dubai Carpet and Art Oasis