New Life Trust Organization

2025 Honourable Mention

Afghanistan

New Life Trust Organization’s Story

Women sit around the table, focusing intently on the delicate pieces of metal and gemstones in their hands. A few women discuss a concept for a new design, comparing different traditions from their diverse regions of Afghanistan and the merits of different approaches. Ongoing political, economic, social and humanitarian instability in Afghanistan has severely reduced women’s abilities to earn income and find employment. For many of these women, their engagement with the New Life Trust Organization (NLTO) provides them with a much needed sense of meaning and an opportunity to participate in supporting their families, while simultaneously connecting with and building friendships with others from across the country.

NLTO is one of the few organizations of its kind to operate effectively in Afghanistan. With sensitivity to social and political challenges, NLTO helps diverse women from different parts of the countries find meaningful work producing local handcrafted jewelry, improving social and economic prospects for themselves, their children and families while at the same time making friendships across ethnic lines.

Established in 2023, NLTO empowers women through skills development, entrepreneurship and artistic expression. The organization provides vocational training in goldsmithing, gem-cutting and jewelry design and helps women develop business, English language and basic computer skills. Training and mentoring sessions are conducted in workshop spaces, and childcare is provided.

In a country that is home to 14 ethnic groups, tribal divisions are difficult to bridge. NLTO does it by welcoming women into its programs from a range of ethnicities, including Pashtun, Uzbek, Turkmen, Sayed, Hazara and Tajik. The organization also makes room for women with disabilities. The organization has helped forge powerful connections among program participants since 2023, and more than 60 percent of these women are now active in local markets or managing their own business. Through its social enterprise model, NLTO collaborates with international retail partners to organize exhibitions and provide market access.

Produced using traditional techniques and local resources—such as lapis lazuli—the jewelry helps preserve Afghani culture locally and around the world. Thanks to the opportunities that NLTO provides to participate in the economy, women are transformed into entrepreneurs and community leaders, rekindling the hope and independence they yearn for.