Afghan women who now call Colorado home create business, with a little help
A year after the U.S. military pulled out of Afghanistan, refugees who came to Colorado are still working to build their lives here.
Beth Finesilver knows this well. She is helping four refugee women get inventory ready for the artisan's market she is hosting in her front yard Saturday. They are hand-sewn items made by Afghan women who have had a difficult year.
"They were pulled out of Afghanistan, some with only their clothes on their back. They've all got children. One woman lost her husband to COVID," Beth explains.
She met them when she saw a post on social media asking if anyone could teach four recently relocated Afghan women how to sew.
"So I said, 'I can volunteer, I can do that,'" said Beth.
She says they already knew how to sew but she helped them perfect their sewing skills to be more professional. After she finished instructing the women, Beth knew she could do more. She has a background in marketing and graphic design, so she also helped them form a business, designed products with them and helped them sell their products.
They held their first sale in May and nearly sold out of everything they made. The women totaled $2,000 from the sale.
"It really provides them with the opportunity to make a lot of money if they if they choose to," said Beth.
Since May the Afghan women have spent the summer working to make more items and are now hosting a second sale. Beth says she is proud of how far they have come.
"They're doing beautiful work right now," she said.
And she says this experience has given her the opportunity to not only help women who need it but to grow herself and learn about the Afghan culture.
"I never could have imagined what I have learned," she said.
The sale will be held on Saturday, Aug. 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1445 South Elm Street in Denver. They will accept cash and Venmo payments.
