The Sweater Project works like this:

how it works 1

SHOPKEEPERS

We buy yarn from shopkeepers in local Afghan communities. Each $25 sweater earns US $8 for the merchant. This is enough to house a family for a day in rented accommodation.

how it works 2

WOMEN AND GIRLS

We pay women to knit sweaters which gives them employment at home. A woman is paid US $10 for each sweater she knits, enough to feed a couple for several days. Most women knit 4-5 sweaters a month, with more than one person knitting in many households. This means women can often earn enough from this project to feed their whole family for a month.

how it works 3

CHILDREN

We give the sweaters to the poorest Afghan children, many of whom live in internally displaced person camps. The temperatures in these camps average below freezing for many months of the year. An estimate 4.3 million Afghans now live in these camps.

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