Source: UN News: Tuesday, 03 February 2026 00:01 AM
Art and creativity know no boundaries and have immense potential to bridge distances between humans and create new understandings and worlds. A similar example was seen recently in New Delhi, the capital of India, when Afghan refugee women and artisan women of Kutch gathered on a common platform and exchanged embroidery traditions passed down from generations. This initiative, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)imhrc) and its partners, has proven to be an important step towards learning, interaction and new livelihood opportunities. In a wooden and sun-filled hall, women sat together embroidering – some on sofas, some on the floor – and around them, their children roamed freely. The coordination of Kutch mirror work designs and Afghan weaving – it seemed as if every stitch was strengthening cooperation and mutual trust. For Parveen Kakkar, a 47-year-old Afghan refugee who arrived in India in 2017, this cooperation brought both self-confidence and income. With the support of UNHCR they displayed and sold their embroidered products. She described it as a “cultural exchange” and said that during these 10 days she was able to forget the problems of her life. © UNHCR /Paridhi Jain Dharmila Ahir, an artisan leader from Kutch, leads a group of 80 women. He said that this experience opened doors to new markets. She came to know about the workshop through an NGO called Karigar Clinic, “Women from Kutch and Afghan women were invited to work together.” Despite the difference in language, the thread of workmanship and creativity connected everyone together. “Our hands speak the same language,” she says, the impact of which was evident for the young artisans as well. Rasila Rabari, 20, says, “Now I earn a daily income. And here I have made friends who will stay with me forever.” © UNHCR/Paridhi Jain From shared learning to shared market, this collaboration continued even after the completion of the workshop. Women from both communities stay connected through a common WhatsApp group, where they share designs, ideas and customer needs. Dharmila also promoted products made by Afghan women on her Instagram page. When the order for the pouch purse arrived, the information was shared in the group. Parveen and other Afghan women created these purses together, and Parveen sold 10 purses to a single customer. With increasing demand, these women are now moving towards sustainable livelihoods across borders. © UNHCR/Paridhi Jain Project DetailThis workshop was part of the ‘Embroidery Beyond Borders’ initiative, supported by the UN Refugee Agency in India (UNHCR) and the Indian Institute of Handicrafts and Design (IICD), Jaipur. In this ten-day long initiative, Afghan refugee women and artisan women from Kutch shared their embroidery skills and together created modern market-ready items. During this period, avenues of dialogue, community engagement and sustainable livelihoods were strengthened. As days passed, shared techniques were transformed into embroidered products that tell stories of resilience, displacement and belonging. This initiative shows that when refugees and host communities work together, a shared future can be built with dignity. © UNHCR/Paridhi Jain UNHCR is gathering support to expand this initiative in 2026, following the success of the first phase, to produce high-quality products for larger markets. Discussions are underway with MADE51 for access to global markets, which helps in taking refugee-crafted products to global markets. Additionally, collaboration with the Indian Institute of Handicraft and Design (IICD) will strengthen design, production and market readiness. MADE51, a flagship initiative of the UNHCR, has supported over 350 refugee artisans across three states in India since 2018, Providing opportunities for dignified livelihood by partnering with local social enterprises.This article was first Here Has been published.
