Parsa Crafts is part of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Support for Afghanistan (PARSA) whose website is found at www.afghanistan-parsa.org.

PARSA is a small, non-government organization (NGO) working directly with needy people of Kabul, Afghanistan, particularly widows, who are on the streets begging, and those who have "fallen through the cracks" of the survey nets of the big NGOs. Its aim and goal are to find work and/or develop skills so that these people can partly or wholly support themselves and their families. It works in a direct personal way to locate widows and to help them. It is now registered as a charitable corporation in the State of Arizona, USA., and recognised by the IRS as a 501(c)3 charitable corporation.

Parsa Crafts sells handcrafted items, both traditional and modern, from widows and other displaced people in Kabul Afghanistan.

The stories of our craftswomen and men are as varied as their handiwork.  Here are some of their stories:

"I am 26 years old and I am single.  I live with my parents in a small house.  I am training to be a seamstress so that I can support our family.  I sell milk and yogurt to earn more money..."  Nadia

"I live in Shamali, the Taliban burned down our home during the fighting.  We then had to come to Kabul.  The economic situation is very bad so I need to help my family..."  Farhanaz

"I am a widow with 2 children. We live in a small home.  I support my family by sewing, making snuff and working in the fields.  I have to work as my children are very young..."  Wasima

"I am a widow with 5 children.  I support my family  by washing clothes and sewing for other people.  I have 2 daughters aged 14 and 12 that weave carpets.  I can't send them to school as I would like to..."  Shugoofa

Jane Willard and Nancy Benson are former Peace Corps volunteers who served in Afghanistan in 1972-74.  Jane lived in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province in the south and taught technical English to the engineers and accountants of the construction unit of the Helmand Arghandab Valley Authority.  Nancy lived in Mazar-e-Sharif in the north and trained math teachers.

Laurie Willard (Jane's sister) is a former member of the board of PECA, the Partnership for the Education of the Children of Afghanistan.

All 3 women live in the Twin Cities and volunteer their time in selling and distributing PARSA crafts.