The Afghanistan Ministry of Commerce has reported that Worldstock, the "socially responsible goods" department of Salt Lake-based Overstock.com, has 1,400 people working in the country, making it the largest source of private employment in Afghanistan.
Patrick Byrne, president of Overstock.com, founded Worldstock in October 2001. Worldstock contracts with skilled craftspeople in developing countries and helps them establish long-term businesses for selling their products through the Overstock.com Web site.
Worldstock has been selling products made in Afghanistan since summer of 2002. This spring, Overstock.com contracted with 1,450 artisans and placed orders for more than $150,000 worth of goods. The first shipment of goods from Afghanistan will be available on Worldstock starting this week.
Mustafa Kazimi, the country's minister of commerce, said 90 percent of the Worldstock workers are women. Worldstock is the largest source of employment for women in Afghanistan and the largest exporter of Afghan handicrafts, Kazimi said.