SHARING SUCCESS
Due to the success of FBMI, the initiative has hired over 8,000 Afghan artisans, 70% are women, and 35% of these women are widows, making them the sole bread winner of their families
About Us
The Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative (FBMI) was founded in 2010 with an aim to empower underprivileged communities with a strong focus on women, by providing them with sustainable employment and critical social services. The initiative has four main pillars: Arts & Culture, Education, Health and Strategic Advisory. During the past decade, social enterprises have been created to sustain the initiative; Zuleya, Mira, Emirati District, Diplomacy Lab, and newly launched Hunger. These social enterprises are the backbone of the initiative, with all profits reinvested into FBMI, making it a truly sustainable and unique social business model.
The carpets made by the initiative are used by the UAE leadership as the official gift of exchange to other world leaders as a form of diplomacy – the famous ‘Tolerance Carpet’ was gifted by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Pope Francis in 2016. From these engagements, FBMI began to play a role in soft power and the concept of the Diplomacy Lab was born.
Helping People
A unique and integral part of this model is to provide the families of working women with critical social services. The initiative is open to all Afghan women over the age of 15 years. These women are required to sign a contract of accountability, an undertaking to participate in the healthcare programme and ensure that all children attend school. FBMI social service providers register families and conduct house visits to ensure their involvement. As a result, the health of the employees, their families and the entire community is improved, and the scourge of child labour eradicated.
OUR IMPACT
FBMI’s impact has made a true ripple effect of Afghanistan’s economy, benefiting not only FBMI employees, but the children and relatives of FBMI artisans, as well as farmers and other blue collar workers
Our Values
The success and exciting future of FBMI is a testament to the vision and commitment of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed and to Afghanistan’s women’s relentless desire to improve their lives and reignite the light which has been dim for so many decades
