Ahmedabad, July 9: SEWA, a city-based NGO, will soon extend their sewa to the women of Afghanistan. A team of experts will leave for the war-torn country in August to help women there become self-reliant. The delegation will help the women to earn a livelihood by finding a market for crafts like miniature paintings, jewellery, carpet weaving, shoe-making and embroidery.

Members of the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) will also help women in food processing units making jams, pickles and cookies. The delegation includes management consultants, insurance team, research team and the rural development team who will chalk out plans to develop the micro business in the region.

As part of its redevelopment effort to support Afghanistan, the World Bank had arranged an exposure visit of select Afghan NGOs to SEWA. These NGOs are engaged in rural development, socio-cultural change and women’s empowerment in the rural and semi-urban areas of the region.

‘‘Afghanistan is an unorganised country. Unlike India, there is no infrastructure available. The condition of women there is extremely pitiable,’’ says Hiral Dave, capacity building co-ordinator of SEWA Trade Facilitation Centre (STFC). ‘‘We wanted them to see how we empower our women by helping them find a market for their crafts. We invited them for a training programme in February to show them how SEWA functions. The NGOs learnt about various aspects of business ranging from insurance to quality control. They realised that they do not have the technology for designing and packaging. We will help them solve the problem during our visit,’’ she adds.

This is just first of a series of trips. During this visit, the SEWA members will conduct need-assessment and draw out a microplan. Later on, this will be converted into a business plan for marketing and production of goods. Since language can be a hurdle, an interpreter will accompany the delegation. ‘‘If SEWA can help 15,000 artisans spread across 300 villages of Kutch and Patan, it can definitely be of great help to strong-willed Afghan women,’’ says Dave. This is not SEWA’s first attempt at empowering women in foreign countries. The members have already visited Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Their programmes have benefited Pakistani women involved in chikankari, Nepali women making handmade paper and the silk weavers of Bangladesh. Moreover, there is an NGO named SEWU in South Africa which was inspired by SEWA’s activities.