OUR STORY

With the same artisans, staff and vision, Artisan Links is a family. Our artisans are the heart and soul of our company. We value relationships and we are proud to say that Artisan Links has played its part in supporting marginalized women earn a steady income through embroidery production.

Our journey dates back to 1985 under the umbrella of the Danish Committee for Aid to Afghan Refugees (DACAAR).

As an embroidery income generating project, DACAAR was established in Peshawar, Pakistan to assist some of the Afghan refugee women. In 1986, DACAAR began working on the Afghan border by providing emergency relief and in 1992, it started development across the border in sectors such as water supply and agriculture.

In 2002, the DACAAR main office moved from Peshawar to Kabul, however, the sewing project remained in Peshawar to continue its work with the refugee women.

In 2006, DACAAR Sewing Centre was registered as a local non-government and non-profit organization named Zardozi – Markets for Afghan Artisans. With its main office in Kabul, the NGO aimed to provide social and economic services to Afghan women in provinces such as Herat, Mazar-e-Sharif, Jalalabad and Kapisa.

In 2008, Zardozi received donor funding to begin work with the women in these areas and linked them to local markets.

In 2017, Zardozi was registered as Artisan Links.