From Gemstones to Jewelry
In September 2011, GFA Consulting Group on behalf of GIZ has established two additional vocational training centers for gem cutters and jewelers in Northern Afghanistan in order to revitalize a century-old craft. Gemstones have been mined in Afghanistan for more than 7.000 years, and their quality is considered one of the best in the world. But most of the large amounts of gemstones leave the country illegally to be processed abroad, so the Afghan economy loses jobs, value-added and taxes. Due to decades of warfare, profound technical knowhow and modern equipment to cut, facet and polish quality jewelry are missing. GIZ’s large-scale sustainable economic development program (NaWi) aims at reversing this trend by developing the capacity of Afghan craftsmen to process local gemstones into marketable jewelry products. The creation of a conducive environment for high quality gemstone products should provide the producers with better chances in export markets. Sustainable economic development and the creation of jobs in rural areas are at the center of German engagement in Afghanistan.
The gemstone centers in the Dawlatabad and Chayab districts serves gem cutters and jewelers in nearby villages where around 1,380 households partly or totally make a living from gemstone processing and jewelry production. GFA experts support the centers with technical assistance, vocational training and international expertise. To this effect, they benefit from two years of GFA experience in setting up a similar vocational training center in Kunduz.
The potential of this sector of the economy is significant but so is the need for basic and advanced capacity building. The training centers help meet this demand and enable craftsmen to establish a career in jewelry. Participants in the six months training courses are trained as gem, and learn how to process high quality jewelry. Cutting, setting, faceting and seating of semi-precious stones for silver or gold jewelry needs talent and practice. Modern tools and machines provided by the GIZ NaWi program commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Economic Development (BMZ). Trainees use them to improve their craft and optimize the quality of their products. Financial contributions safeguard the courses and the maintenance of the training centers during the start-up stage but will be reduced over time to enable the sustainability of the centers. After the initial project phase, the local jewelers’ guilds will finance the centers on the basis of membership fees while trainees will pay in cash or kind. Local gem cutters are charged additional small fees for the use of tools and machines which help them to produce jewelry of good quality. The guilds and their members value this self-help principle as it provides them with a sense of ownership.
Findings from the existing Kunduz training center suggest that beneficiaries of GFA’s expertise and capacity development increased their income by 70-300 per cent within two years, and started to train apprentices in their own workshops.
