Afghanistan— Establishing Kabul Carpet Export Center (KCEC) under a grant from the USAID/Afghanistan Afghan Jobs Creation Program (AJCP)

Client: U.S. Agency for International Development

Prime: Impact Carpets Associates, LLC (ICA)

Duration: 2018-2021

Region: Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Country: Afghanistan

Solutions: Economic Growth

 

The purpose of the activity known as “Establishing the Kabul Carpet Export Center (KCEC)” foresaw that the success of the carpet industry in generating new, sustainable, jobs and revenue for Afghanistan if the Afghan carpet makers were to fully meet the expectations of the international rug buyers. Under this grant, OXUS was responsible for day-to-day project implementation and all Afghan personnel.

Specifically, OXUS fostered long-term sustainable partnership within the Afghan carpet value chain both within Afghanistan, as well as with international buyers of Afghan carpet products to create new, sustainable, jobs for Afghanistan. OXUS trained and mentored Afghan carpet manufacturers to develop the business management skills needed for them to expand their businesses and generate income and employment, for Afghan youth, women, returnees, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).

 

Sample Activities

  • Promoted KCEC at the Second and Third USAID/Afghanistan-sponsored Annual Passage to Prosperity Trade and Investment Shows in Mumbai (2018) and New Delhi (2019), India.
  • Recruited all Key Personnel, Afghan support staff and international Subject Matter Experts.
  • Facilitated registration of KCEC with the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA).
  • Responsible for organizing and managing all Afghanistan-based business-to-business meetings between KCEC and Afghan carpet manufacturers.
  • Mentored and instructed the development of marketing material and formal business plans for nineteen (19) KCEC-registered Afghan carpet manufacturers.
  • Helped organize and hold the Afghanistan Carpet Roadshow in New York City, October 2019, and May 2021;
  • Participated in numerous international carpet and trade shows in Shanghai, China, Hannover, Germany, Milan, Italy, Prague, Czech Republic, various cities in the USA.

 

Select Results

  • Opened a retail store “Wool and Loom” located in Tysons Galleria Mall in Virginia, USA to complete the “Made in Afghanistan” value chain;
  • Created 34,971 new full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in carpet industry of which 17,396 new FTE jobs were for women and 7,218 new FTE jobs were for IDPs were created;
  • Exported 68,479 square meters (SQM) of carpets globally which added $7,532,690 value to Afghan exports during the life of the project;
  • Supported establishment of two cut and wash facility in Kabul and Achqa to support carpet finishing in Afghanistan;
  • Participated in 29 international trade events (both in-person and virtual) including 22 international exhibitions and showcased Afghan handmade carpets in China, Germany India, Italy, Turkiye, and the USA;
  • Registered 60 Afghan carpet manufacturing and trading firms;
  • Launched the first e-commerce website for Afghan carpets to increase the carpet sales;
  • Pioneered Afghan Artisan Rug Pop-Ups (AARPU) in New York City (twice), Knoxville, and Charleston in the USA that connected Afghan manufacturers directly to international buyers;
  • Mentored and instructed the development of marketing material and formal business plans for all KCEC-registered Afghan carpet manufacturers; and,
  • Recruited all Key Personnel, Afghan support staff and international Subject Matter Experts (SME).