Ghulamsakhi Rustamkhan

Afghanistan

Year(s) attended: 2007, 2008, 2009

Weaving

Sakhi has been accepted twice before to the Market but has not been able to get a visa in time due to the unstable situation in Afghanistan.  The first year he had to travel to Pakistan to apply.  Last year, Pakistan was too volatile, so an office was opened in Kabul and Sakhi finally received his visa in August.  Sakhi is a weaver from the Darrai Noor Valley and a co-founder of Rubia, a non-profit working to promote local embroidery as a source of income (as an alternative to growing poppies) and to educate women.  Educated women in Central Asia are a key element in the peace effort to stabilize the society.