I came to the United States from Afghanistan in late 1979 as a war refugee. For many years, I worked in the insurance industry, but as I traveled back and forth to Afghanistan to see my family, I saw a way to bridge my love for the two cultures. I began bringing beads made by refugees in Peshawar and that led to an interest in vintage textiles, carpets, woodwork, metals, clay- you name it! The crafts of Afghanistan reflect the long history as a center of enterprise in Central Asia of history and talent.
The economic situation in Afghanistan is improving slowly. I would like to be able to support more living artisans and help them make a decent living with the skills that have been handed down to them through the generations. I have not been able to go back and forth like I used to, but hope that it will happen again.