- Girls and Women In Afghanistan Need Our Hope
Support Us In Changing Lives
Ejaad is an embroidery and educational project fostering social change for Afghan women. We also work with smaller projects where humanitarian relief is much needed.
Opening Soon!
We hope to have the opening of our Ejaad Workshop and Learning Center very soon. AWF (Architects without Frontiers) have kindly donated their time and skills to design an incredible space where our artisans can work and learn together. Watching the metamorphosis of this building take shape has been nothing short of amazing. It has been a labor of love with many people involved, providing them with much needed incomes. We know our artisans cannot wait to see the doors open and neither can we!
Our Artisans
We now have 30 women involved in our project, with many of them being sole income earners for their families. Being able to sell their embroideries on a global market enables them to support their families and empowers them to be part of important decision making, creating pride and a sense of accomplishment. It also offers leadership opportunities and we have loved seeing many of our artisans flourish and grow since joining Ejaad!
Become a Volunteer
If you would like to partner with us to sell our products or join our growing schools service learning opportunities please contact us.
Start Donating Today
Your gift goes towards making a difference in the lives of 25 women and their families.
Empowering Afghan women - Creating social change.
Ejaad grew from the desire of a small group of friends connected across the globe to provide economic and educational opportunities while promoting traditional embroidered craft reflecting Afghanistan’s rich artistic and cultural heritage.
Every woman has the right to change her life for the better.
We provide opportunities in a safe and discreet neighborhood to enrich the lives of our Ejaad artisans, who are restricted by social and cultural boundaries.
Advocating for the rights of women and girls to receive an education.
Designs are passed on from mother to daughter, and shared among sisters, cousins and close friends, creating a sense of pride and cultural identity.
Your generosity will enable 30 women to reach for their goals and aspirations and ultimately impact their families in a positive way.
Testimonials
"Ejaad is a big project for us here in Kabul and it gives us a lot of benefits. All of the ladies are so happy because of Ejaad opportunities. If the Ejaad Project was not here, all of the ladies aren't doing any other work; they would only be doing embroidery at home. Now Ejaad gives us a way to make some much needed income by selling our artworks and soon the facilities of the learning center too will be finished. I will be teaching embroidery, English and Dari in the new center. We are so happy."
Anisa (Hera) Nasiry
Ejaad Kabul coordinator
"We at gallery SOKYO ATSUMI support EJaad because it is important for us to support and connect with people who need help globally through art. We believe that art is very powerful and important to change the world. Also in many countries, women have not been treated well. We would like to support those women to be able to be educated, become more independent, be successful and be happy."
Atsumi Fujita
Sokyo Gallery Tokyo, Japan
"The EJAAD Afghanistan project has so many facets that align with my values as a female physician: supporting, educating and empowering women in a way that honors, respects and preserves their culture and improves the well-being of their families; the involvement of schools and children in a cultural exchange to promote understanding and peace; and the sheer beauty of the artisanry. The grassroots nature of the effort allows this network of dedicated individuals around the world to meet unique needs in a very specific and effective way. The nimbleness of the organization was demonstrated in the ability to quickly pivot to providing humanitarian aid following the political events of 2021, while continuing to work toward its core mission."
Anita Sgrignoli
M.D., Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Alum, EJAAD supporter
"I cannot speak more highly of what Ejaad Afghanistan offers with their social enterprise. The beauty of this project is how it fosters social change for illiterate and semi-literate, disadvantaged Afghan women and girls. Andrea Morris has been a key and inspirational connection for us. Cultural Conversations is an Arts based hub based in Nelson NZ where former refugees and migrants lead the way with a flurry of creative activities. We are hosting an Ejaad info evening next Monday and look forward to how we can work together more in the future."
Tanya Nock
Creative Director Cultural Connections, Nelson, New Zealand
"Jennifer Henbest has devoted her life to art and education and how they both can be employed creatively to foster opportunities and change. Her tireless efforts to start and continue the life-changing work of Ejaad in the most difficult circumstances is a product of her many years of service to Afghan causes, women’s issues, and drive to see the rich artistic histories of that country continue. This is not her day job, but a passion to improve women’s lives through education, foster life-skills, and bring recognition to Central Asian art. She also brings this passion to her work as an educator in East Asia, where she teaches her young students about inspiring art traditions, how they are meaningful in the present day, as well as the importance of service and advocacy on local and international scales. I am in awe of the Ejaad program, that despite all odds it is able to create opportunities for women through art, collaboration, and education. This is truly humanitarian work."
Beverly Adams
Estrellita Brodsky Curator of Latin American Art Museum of Modern Art, New York
"My involvement with Ejaad started 4 years ago in my high school art room. Ejaad enabled me to realize I can make a difference on a global scale. We are supporting families in Afghanistan when many lost their income due to the pandemic and offering a learning environment for women whose education had been taken away. After the tragic internal issues with the government in Kabul and enforced strict regulations on women, I have found my contribution to have a significant impact, giving me a sense of purpose. Collaborating with the Afghan women made me realize how crucial our support is. Many aspire to learn English and work as educators or doctors to support their families, but the present situation in Afghanistan prevents them from doing so. Learning about their aspirations increased my awareness that learning is a privilege, and broadened my perspective on how fortunate I am. It has inspired me to work harder and use my privilege to help those who are less fortunate. I find passion in helping others, and being a leader who others rely on. I learned how passion can be contagious, as it has inspired others to join Ejaad and contribute to social change, leading them to believe they too have the power to make a difference."
Reina Hara
Ejaad club president Osaka International School, Corpus Christi College Canada
