International Institute awards grants to two Afghan immigrants’ businesses

Reported by St. Louis Business

The International Institute of St. Louis is awarding $20,000 grants to two Afghan-led businesses today as part of the nonprofit’s continued push to encourage and support Afghan immigrants launching new businesses in the region. One of today’s grants goes to Negina Shinwari to support her venture, Asia Lebas Mahal, which sources high-quality, traditional South Asian clothing.

“A lot of people are struggling to find traditional cultural clothes. Most of them are importing it from Afghanistan, Pakistan, [or] South Asian countries, which is costly,” says Hamdullah Hamdard, director of the International Institute’s Afghan Support Program. “Her idea is to create a hub for all those people, to provide them with affordable options, and have the opportunity to see the materials and then decide if they’re going to buy it or not.” Read more