I caught an interview with Sarah Chayes on Bill Moyers Journal where she continued the dialogue on the resurgence of the Taliban and its correlation to government corruption. Chayes has been in Afghanistan since 2001, initially, to cover the US invasion of the country and the fall of the Taliban for NPR. She decided to leave journalism in 2002 and stayed in Afghanistan to play a role in grassroots rebuilding efforts.

In 2005 Chayes founded Arghand, a cooperative that produces a line of luxury, marble-like soaps and skin-nourishing oils, featuring the fragrant and emollient fruits, nuts and botanicals of Kandahar’s legendary earth. Through Arghand, Sarah Chayes aims to offer an alternative to opium production by providing dignified, sustainable employment remunerated at a fair level. Members of the co-op, including men and women, are encouraged to have a voice and participate in democratic decision-making, an opportunity lacking from their government. Arghand gives local farmers an opportunity to make a living growing licit crops indigenous to the country, among them: ruby pomegranates, sweet almonds, rosa damascena, apricot kernels, black cumin, anise and wild pistachio.

Along with providing a pragmatic solution to agricultural production of the opium poppy, Arghand’s focus is placed on restoring and maintaining traditional native crops and wild-crafted herbs that have been threatened by seven years of drought and years of war. The soap bars, hand-molded to take the shape of marbled river stones, are colored using natural dyes from roots that grow in neighboring vineyards. Each soap stone is packaged in an eco-friendly wrap, a silk remnant sourced from a local family who makes turbans.

It’s about grassroots. It’s about building democracy on whatever level you can in a cooperative, where there are good relations with producers, where there’s a collective decision-making process, and where we can honor a lot of the traditional licit crops that Kandahar has been known for for millennia. Seems like a worthwhile thing to be involved in.

- Sarah Chayes, interview with Democracy Now

I first learned about Arghand after hearing an interview with founder Sarah Chayes on Democracy Now! back in 2006. We had spent three years researching and preparing for the launch of Equita and I was used to having to dig deep for projects and products that would be a solid fit (for our philosophy). After hearing Sarah Chayes’ conversation with Amy Goodman, I knew immediately that we would build a partnership with Arghand.

I have come to feel that what Arghand offers people in the West – an opportunity to participate – may be just as meaningful as whatever benefits it brings to Kandahar.

- Sarah Chayes, Atlantic Monthly

We started Equita, an independent, principle-driven, family business with the aim of offering quality-designed ethical products to discerning customers. There is no longer a dearth of alternatives to the mass-produced, sweatshop made, disposable crap that has been dumped on the shelves and we strive to shine a light on these ethical choices by encouraging dialogue and ensuring that each item in our line meets our stringent criteria: socially conscious, eco-friendly, good design. We have learned a lot along the way, most importantly that we each play a role in change, and every decision has the potential to make a difference. Something to celebrate.

For more information on Arghand and Sarah Chayes, check out her appearances from last year on NPR’s Fresh Air, PBS’s Bill Moyers Journal and her article in the Atlantic Monthly along with her recent piece, The Other Front, for the Washington Post about her experience in Afghanistan.

Find the full line of Arghand natural soaps and body oils at Equita.