Embassy Events

Tooba Mayel speaks at Forel International School

NGO representative visits Slovakia to help Afghan women and children

In cooperation with the American Embassy, Afghan-American Tooba Mayel, from a Kabul-based NGO called Arzu which hires Afghan women to make carpets and market them throughout the world, visited Slovakia on December 6. In return for higher wages earned for carpet weaving, families of more than 700 women working for Arzu must agree to send children under age 15 to school full-time and to attend literacy classes. During her visit in Slovakia, Ms. Mayel was interviewed by women’s magazine Slovenka, Slovak Radio and live on TA3. Her busy schedule also included meetings with organizations, most notably People in Peril and Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia which agreed to cooperate further with Ms. Mayel. She also visited Forel International School, where she spoke to a classroom of about 30 engaged students between the ages of 11 and 14. The children became particularly interested in the idea of designing a carpet that the Afghan weavers could then make. Ms. Mayel also visited ARINA carpet shop in Bratislava, discussing carpet import with owner Ariane Sabet, and talked about a possible joint exhibit with Slovak photographer Martin Crep, who has taken extensive photos in Afghanistan.

Visit Arzu website | TA3 Coverage