VISTA, Calif. — A San Marcos mother who grew up under the oppression of the Taliban in Afghanistan is helping artisans in her homeland.
In this Zevely Zone, I previewed the Grand Opening of 'The Rug Mine'. The North County business sells luxury Afghan rugs hand-knotted by female artisans in Afghanistan.
Nargis Habib is the founder and owner of The Rug Mine. The mother of two daughters is breaking barriers in business for Afghan women. Nargis was raised when Taliban rule prohibited her from attending school.
"I remember asking my mom and my sisters when are we going to start school?" said Nargis who studied in secret, on Afghan carpets in a basement. Nargis remembers, "being so scared that at any moment someone would knock on the door," said Nargis.
Those secret classrooms didn't have desks, so the young girls sat on carpet. To this day when she sees a rug it brings her comfort.
"Yes, it does," said Nargis with a smile. In 2006, Nargis immigrated to the United States, leaving loved ones behind. "My mom and my younger sister and my brother," said Nargis.
She and her husband Jawid have two daughters of their own and recently took her girls back to Afghanistan.
"It felt like going back in time," said Nargis because the Taliban is still shattering the dreams of women. "Seeing my sister, sorry, seeing my sister at home, the dreams that she had to pursue medical school were just gone in the blink of an eye," said Nargis with tears in her eyes.
"Seeing all of the girls go through that... it truly breaks my heart," said Nargis who decided to combine the love for her homeland with rugs and open The Rug Mine.
"Here you can see all of the different kinds of rugs with different patterns and designs," said her husband Jawid. Woven into the fabric of every handmade rug is Afghanistan's joy and pain. "Every one of these rugs tells a story both in the past and the present," said Jawid.
"It takes a village to make a rug," said Nargis who shared a video that shows the grueling process of hand-crafting Afghan rugs. "When I started the business, I wanted to make a difference," said Nargis.
She created a fair-trade program with the rug makers that includes profit sharing. The video shows Nargis handing money to an artisan.
"It felt amazing," said Nargis. "I saw the look on their faces. They were kind of shocked that it was happening because they don't get anything like that. Every penny, every dollar makes a huge difference in Afghanistan."
Nargis wants her customers to know that every rug they purchase makes a difference. "They are buying hope for the people of Afghanistan when they buy a rug that is just hope for people there," said Nargis.
Jawid added, "I am so incredibly proud of Nargis and what she has done. It is deeply inspiring; it inspires me every day."
The couple is expecting their third daughter in December. Nargis hopes to someday take her back to a free Afghanistan.
"Yes, absolutely, that is my dream," said Nargis. The Rug Mine is located at 1495 Poinsettia Avenue, Vista Suite 150. The Rug Mine's Grand Opening is Saturday, September 23.
Interior designers are welcome to attend from 3 to 4 pm.
The Grand Opening will then open to the public from 4 to 7 pm. For more information about Nargis' rugs and her story click here.