Ali Azimi: Successful Fine Artist, Successful Businessman, and Successful Teacher

Ali Azimi, a native of Daikundi Province, graduated from the UNHCR-funded Made in Afghanistan (MaA) project in September 2021. He had been displaced from his hometown of in 2019 and was living in Jebrail District of Herat City. “We had no job opportunities in Daikundi and there was insecurity, we had to escape to Herat,” Ali said,

Ali lives with his mother and two siblings, while his father work in Iran to earn money to support his family in Herat. When they lived in Daikundi, Ali attended school, but he dropped out because of financial constraints. In Herat, he discovered his talent for art and learned how to paint at a private art school. However he had no idea about how to promote his career and failed to find a good market for his work. But others discovered his talent and he was recommended to the Made in Afghanistan project 2021. During this intervention, Ali was provided with all he needed to create art, including monthly stipends.

“I have enriched my professional skills here and improved my communications skills and learned how to market my paintings. I was mentored and also participated in local exhibitions where I learned how to effectively communicate with customers, how to assess market demands and how to sell my work,” Ali stated.

Ali’s life has steadily improved; he supports his siblings’ education, he also went back to school and with the skills he learned at MaA he has established his own art studio. He teaches 20 students who study drawing, painting, and calligraphy. Currently, he earns around AFN 10,000 per month (USD 115.) Ali is pleased.