Richmond sophomore Minahil Mobeen earns grant for work in Pakistan

Hand-knotted carpets are among Pakistan’s leading exports — and one Richmond student is helping rural women weavers advocate for better working conditions.

Minahil Mobeen, a sophomore from Lahore, Pakistan, received a $10,000 Davis Projects for Peace grant for Women Weave Change, a partnership with the Pakistani social development groups Democratic Commissions for Human Development and Label STEP. The project, hosted in Feroze Watwan, Pakistan, provided artisans with a centralized workspace, child care, and new looms, and hosted workshops on workers’ rights, financial literacy, and safe occupational practices.

Through her work, Mobeen also saw how vulnerable communities were impacted by environmental challenges such as floods and heavy rains, which further strengthened her dedication to sustainable economic solutions.

Mobeen, an economics major, noted that her project not only supports the financial independence of weavers, but is key to preserving a traditional Pakistani craft.

“Women Weave Change taught me that peace begins with threading together dignity, opportunity, and resources,” she said. “As I witnessed the weavers gain confidence in their craft and financial independence, I was reminded of how small, community-driven steps can initiate longterm, sustainable development.”