Empowering Refugee Mothers One Stitch at a Time
We are a group of Afghan refugee mother artisans living in New Jersey and Virginia. We fled our beloved Afghanistan in September 2021, leaving our families, homes and culture for safety and hope in America. Today, we are business owners, artists, mothers, designers. Our goal is financial independence.
The Bibi Collective is comprised of 7 refugee artisans. In total, the women have 29 kids! “Bibi” means woman in the Afghan languages. The Collective facilitates empowerment, education and financial independence. The women receive training in marketing, design development, basic accounting, financial literacy, brand photography and social media marketing. They work from home while caring for their children and attending ESL.
“I draw inspiration from the home I left. I remember the mountains, flowers and trees. I especially miss my garden.”
“I am from Afghanistan. It has been difficult adjusting to America. I really miss my mother and father. I am happy to have escaped my country and I am hopeful for my new life here in USA.”
“I learned embroidery when I was 6 years old. My daughter who is the same age asks me to teach her. I tell her she must learn to read and write English first.”
