Sisters in Stitches: Afghan Women Cultivate Community Through Craft and Cuisine

In Afghan culture, even strangers’ plates are piled high with fragrant rice dishes and richly spiced vegetables before anyone else takes a bite. Traditionally, communal meals are enjoyed on a dastarkhan—a tablecloth spread on the ground—where guests are seated on plush cushions, indulged with bottomless refills, and wooed by a chorus of warm conversation. Afghan hospitality is legendary. Even a short visit is cause for tea, or chai, with neighbors, extended family, and soon-to-be-friends

“It’s expected that you’ll stay, at least for tea,” says Molly Dingledine of Sisters in Circles, an Asheville nonprofit that supports craftwomen locally and globally through paid piecework. “Sometimes a meal and a long conversation. Or not a conversation if they don’t speak English well enough. But always tea.”

Molly, a jeweler who’s called Asheville home for two decades, has shared countless cups of tea with local Afghan women over the past three years. Their friendships were forged in the aftermath of the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which triggered a massive humanitarian crisis and brought tens of thousands of Afghan refugees to communities across the U.S., including Molly's. In response to the surge in asylum seekers, Sisters in Circles launched the Afghan Women’s Craft Collective, a program that creates economic opportunities for Afghan craftswomen in Asheville as they rebuild their lives in an unfamiliar and sometimes disorienting land.

The Afghan Women’s Craft Collective

For Meena, Beena, and Madina—three women we spoke to for this story—the Afghan Women’s Craft Collective represents much more than just a source of income; it’s a vital link to the broader Afghan diaspora in Asheville. Although the city has welcomed only a small fraction of asylum seekers compared to larger urban hubs like Houston and L.A.—places with established refugee resettlement infrastructures and sizable Afghan American communities—grassroots programs like the Afghan Women’s Craft Collective play an essential role in cultivating community bonds and instilling a sense of purpose among displaced populations.

“Leaving my country so suddenly was not easy … a new place, no friends—it was very hard for me,” recalls Beena, a seamstress who relocated to Asheville following the chaotic exit of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. “I missed my friends and my country so much. Yes, my country is poor, and there has been war for more than forty years, but a country is like a mother. No matter how it is, the children still love their mother. Everyone loves their homeland, whether it is rich or poor.”

Before arriving in the U.S., many Afghan women lived in multi-generational households, surrounded by a network of extended family members, such as aunts and cousins, who played active roles in their daily lives. "I realized there were a lot of women living in situations they weren't used to," Molly says, noting that many of their loved ones remain in Afghanistan under Taliban rule. “I thought these ladies probably need to have some community with each other.”

With that insight, she began organizing monthly gatherings for newly resettled Afghan women at her church, providing craft supplies and preparing traditional Afghan dishes to help them feel more at home. Over time, these gatherings have evolved from simple meet-ups into potluck-style meals organized and hosted by the women themselves. Once strangers, they meet regularly to share stories while beading, exchange sewing tips, or practice henna over traditional Afghan dishes and warm cups of chai.

Crafting Community in Asheville

“Sharing a meal builds community, no matter where you are,” says Molly. “It's also a very simple reminder that we're all human, and we all need to eat.”

When we speak, Molly is preparing to hand-deliver fabric to Beena, who sews the cloth into napkins before returning them to Sisters in Circles for sale. Behind her, stacks of African wax print fabric, or kitenge, await the shears—and the needle. “We’re really like a cottage industry,” she says. “Everything is handmade. These products were made by different people and have the mark of their maker on them.”

Along with 100 percent cotton napkins, Sisters in Circles also produces and sells limited-edition zippered pouches and beaded earrings, many of which are handcrafted by local Afghan women with limited access to education and employment. Unlike traditional consignment models, Sisters in Circles provides immediate payment upon completion of each project, an approach designed to alleviate poverty and counteract exploitative labor practices often faced by immigrants working outside traditional employment models.

“The mothers have to work from home because most can’t drive or afford a car, even if they have their license,” says Molly. “They have babies who won’t go to daycare because it’s not culturally acceptable, plus it’s expensive. They would have to get jobs to afford it, but most can’t speak English well enough to find one here. There are so many barriers to working outside the home for many of these women.”

For Meena, a young mother tasked with caring for the children while her husband works, the paid piecework offered by Sisters in Circles presents a new path to financial independence. “There is no work in Afghanistan,” she explains. “I like to earn my own money, and I want to keep myself busy.”

A Climate of Fear

Madina, a member of the Collective Molly describes as a "spitfire," echoes Meena's concerns about the dire situation in their homeland. "There is no security in our country. Women’s lives are quite difficult,” she explains, recounting a reality in which basic rights, education, and job opportunities have been stripped away. “I think it is nothing short of hell for Afghan women … life in America is paradise. I think I was born when I came to America.”

This glowing testimony arrives against the backdrop of the Trump Administration's aggressive crackdown on immigration in Charlotte. Since taking office in January, the White House has tied illegal immigration to violent crimes in U.S. cities, starting with blue states and now extending into purple states like North Carolina. Meanwhile, immigration officials are feeling the mounting pressure to ramp up arrests and deportations, a push that calls for targeting immigrants far beyond those with a history of violent offenses.

Over the weekend in Charlotte, more than 200 individuals were arrested in 48 hours, according to data from the Department of Homeland Security, with approximately 70 percent of those detained having no prior criminal record.

"The fear is very tangible among this particular community of immigrants, who are here legally, many with Green Cards," says Molly. She recounts the story of a Collective member who once enjoyed daily walks through Asheville but now hesitates to step outside, fearing that ICE may target individuals with black hair. "Immigrants who are being told that they're not welcome here would be the first ones to open their homes and offer us food. Sharing food is something that so many cultures in the world are centered around."

A Climate of Hope

Despite painful memories stirred by recent raids, Beena, Meena, and Madina describe their happiest moments in the U.S. as being rooted in the warmth of community, the joy of shared meals, and the lasting friendships they’ve formed. "When I first met these women three years ago, I had no idea that I would become really dear friends with them," Molly adds.

Neither did Beena. Unable to speak English when she first arrived in Asheville, her new life “felt like being in jail.” Living near Grove Park, she would often escape to the nearby golf course, where no one was around, and cry. One day, a friend called with an intriguing offer: Would Beena like to attend a gathering with other Afghan women in the area?

"I still remember the date—July 2, 2022," she says. At that event, Beena met Molly and other Afghan friends who would become an integral part of her support system. Now enrolled in ESL classes at A-B Tech, Beena says she is "very happy" in Asheville, a sentiment that stems from those initial early gatherings where friendships formed over shared meals. According to Beena, the potluck aspect of these events has become a cherished tradition, with each woman contributing her favorite Afghan dish to offer a familiar taste of home.

"People there loved rice—and I love rice too!" Beena exclaims. "At our parties, rice is always a must."

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All images published with permission of Sisters in Circles.