Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to make a regular donation to Afghan Action??
A regular donation would be a great contribution to our work in Kabul, Afghanistan. It gives us reliable long-term funds that allow us to extend our commitment and train and employ more young people in Afghanistan. These young adults will not only be provided with a better future, but a safe and friendly environment in which to learn the carpet trade and find work - bringing in a vital income for the family. Donations can be made (and gift aided) to our registered charity, the Afghan Training Foundation (no 1111897).

How can I raise money for Afghan Action?
?You can help promote our work and sell our carpets - we are looking for agents around the country.  Or you can give a hand at one of our events. Or you can encourage people to Sponsor a Trainee (see below) or donate to our charity, the Afghan Training Foundation (registered charity no 1111897). Schools and other groups can hold special events and become linked with our project or a school in Afghanistan.

How do I buy a handmade carpet from Afghan Action?
?Simply give us a ring (020 3201 0049) or send us an email (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)). Tell us which carpet you’d like (each carpet has a unique number) and we’ll get it dispatched at the earliest opportunity from the warehouse in Park Royal, West London. Delivery costs between £11 and £25, depending on size and weight.

How can I buy ethical gifts for use in the Kabul training school and factory?
?Click on the “sponsor” boxes across the top middle part of the web pages. These gifts go directly to Kabul where the need is greatest - from covering a trainee’s costs to paying for a midday meal to sponsoring the services of a teacher and a nurse.  The only exception is the restocking of the Ghazni sheep flock for the nomadic Kuchi people in the Province of Wardak.  Your help really makes a difference.

Can I Sponsor a Trainee through Afghan Action??
You can sponsor part of the whole trainee community in the Afghan Action training school in Kabul. By donating £360 - £30 a month over one year or £15 a month over two years - to our charity, the Afghan Training Foundation (registered charity no 1111897), you will be funding the training and education of one of our young adult trainees, who are mainly aged 14 to 25.

I would like to donate money to a specific project. How do I do this??
We do keep aside a short list of projects for people to donate to on a one-off basis. Please contact us for further details. Important new developments in IT and work with Afghanistan’s technical schools are examples of the initiatives we’re developing.

How do I make my ethical gift or donation tax-efficient through gift aid??
Donate through Charity Choice and your donation will automatically be tax efficient through gift aid, unless you opt to be anonymous. You can gift aid your donation by downloading our gift aid form.  For more information visit the Inland Revenue Gift Aid page.  Please enter in your details and this will ensure that we are able to reclaim the tax that you have paid on any of your donations made now or in the future.  Unfortunately Gift Aid is not available on carpet purchases.

How can I volunteer for Afghan Action?
?If you are interested in volunteering, please call our London office (020 3201 0049) or send us an email (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)).

What is fair trade all about?
?Afghan Action believes in creating jobs and businesses under fair and ethical employment conditions. We provide young people with an education, training and work for a fair wage, under fairly traded conditions and guarantee direct access for their carpets to international markets. We are not an official “faitrade” organisation - because the Fairtrade Foundation doesn’t do carpets and Rugmark doesn’t do Afghanistan! But we are absolutely committed to trading fairly and we’re convinced that the future of Afghanistan depends on jobs, businesses and international markets - these should be poor quality and exploitative. Your purchasing makes a real difference!

How can I get involved in an Afghan Action event?
?Just come along to one of our forthcoming events or give us a ring on 020 3201 0049 or email us on .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Can I buy a carpet at the Afghan Action office?
?You are very welcome to make an appointment to look through our extensive range of unique handmade Afghanistan carpets. Ring us on 020 3201 0049 or email us on .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

If I buy an Afghan Action carpet and it is damaged can I get a refund?
?Yes. In the event that any carpet purchase proves to be unsatisfactory due to defective workmanship or faulty material, you can return it to us for replacement or a full refund. Please view our terms and conditions.

Does Afghan Action provide information for schools and other organisations??
Yes. We can supply information about Afghanistan, especially about our factory and training school and life in Kabul. We’re developing work with British schools and creating materials for use in the classroom. And we love to come and speak to schools about our work. We are now creating links between British schools and Afghan schools - and we welcome your active involvement.

How do I get information for my homework or dissertation??
We are able to provide you with photographs of our factory and training school and life in Kabul via web access.

How can I buy a Ghazni sheep through Afghan Action??
Every gift you select will be received by our trainees and staff in Kabul and will make a real difference to their working conditions in our school and factory. The exception is buying a Ghazni sheep to restock the flock of the nomadic Kushi people who lost their animals during the wars. A flock of sheep will allow them not only to rediscover their traditional calling, but it means they can also supply Afghan Action with wool for carpets.

How does Afghan Action spend its money??
Afghan Action wholly owned by a registered charity, the Afghan Training Foundation (no 1111897). The Afghan Training Foundation is managed by a Board of Trustees and Afghan Action by a Board of Directors. Both organisations are accountable to those who generously support us and to those with whom we work in Afghanistan. This obliges us to maintain costs at a reasonable level in proportion to income from donations, sponsorship, carpet sales and other funding. Our initial funding came from the Department for International Development’s Business Linkages Challenge Fund. 

Why does Afghanistan need my support??
Reconstruction is painfully slow; large parts of Afghanistan’s infrastructure are still in tatters and the vast majority don’t have access to electricity or safe water, a decent home, good health or education facilities. In fact about 75% of the population struggle to exist on USD $1 a day in Afghanistan. Poor education facilities over the last two decades have contributed to poor literacy rates; 71% of Afghans over the age of 15 cannot read or write.  Three out of five girls never get the opportunity to go to school. Not many people want to invest in Afghanistan - it isn’t safe, there’s endemic corruption and serious skills shortages and they can’t be sure they’ll be able to operate there. Companies have forgotten that the very word “com-pany” comes from the Latin “com” and “panis”, meaning breaking bread together. If we can’t share our gifts, skills, resources and lives with our fellow human beings in their time of need, we should be ashamed. Especially when just a little goes a very long way!