Mercy Corps has been working in Afghanistan since 1986 and is said to have offered financial assistance to 2.5 million Afghans in recent years, through rehabilitation programmes. These programmes focus on agricultural and economic development and promote initiatives that provide access to services and opportunities for marginalised citizens, including those involved in the leather industry.
Since the programme’s inception, its Ariana microfinance scheme has supported nearly 17,000 clients with a total of over $3 million in loans. 82% of its clients are women, one of the most vulnerable social groups in Afghanistan. Its clients run micro-enterprises in all areas of Afghan life, including leather-working, animal husbandry, weaving, tailoring and knitting.
