We recently featured beautiful rugs created by Afghan women as a sustainable source of employment; today we're looking at DOSTI soccer balls, also made by Afghan artisans.
The DOSTI soccer balls are white and printed with images of birds in black, red and green doves -- the colours of the Afghan national flag. They are sold individually, and also available for wholesale.
The name DOSTI, which means "friendship" in Dari, was aptly chosen for the soccer ball project because that's what the sport often cultivates. The creation of this sports equipment likely also facilitates friendships between the women employed through the production of the DOSTI balls.
The company was started by female entrepreneurs Taj and Aziza who wanted to develop a sustainable model of employment for Afghan women. Interestingly, they each started soccer ball creation projects for women separately in different areas -- Kabul and Daikundi Province. They were brought together through Bpeace (Business Council for Peace), and collaborated to create the DOSTI soccer ball joint venture.
The DOSTI soccer balls now employ 475 women and are available through non-profit Fair Trade retailer Global Goods Partners.
DOSTI soccer balls website
Fair Trade Sports Gear
Handmade DOSTI Soccer Balls Employ Afghan Women
Trend Themes
1. Handmade Sports Gear - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Develop a sustainable model of employment by creating handmade sports gear.
2. Fair Trade Products - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Explore the market for fair trade products and promote sustainable employment.
3. Female Empowerment in Sports Industry - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Empower women through the production and sale of sports equipment.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Equipment Manufacturing - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Integrate handmade sports gear production by employing local artisans.
2. Fair Trade Retailing - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Establish a fair trade platform for selling sports gear made by marginalized communities.
3. Social Entrepreneurship - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Create social enterprises that focus on empowering women through sports-related projects.