This is wonderful Jennie! I will help spead the word about these beautiful soaps and such a worthy mission! Bravo!

@Jennifer Thanks for the offer to help spread the word. That means a lot to me. Supporting this is a way the Daily Grommet community can really help people in a place that so badly needs us. Bravo for Sarah and Jennie for giving us a lovely way to do it!

Just bought two -- one for our guest bath and one for a house gift. This is one of my favorite grommets. Such a worthy cause!

This one is going fast. If you saw a "greyed out" Buy It Now button, it meant we were temporarily sold out. We just arranged for some more so we are back in stock.

Those are gorgeous! My wife would love them.

I bought these for my wife and she was blown away! ( I was too, honestly) We are hooked- the soap, the story, the whole thing is just great- now we are giving them as gifts! we got ours at a great on line shop- www.earthlovershopping.com

@Ran People can get them right here on Daily Grommet until noon tomorrow, and then we will link out to a nice green ecommerce site for the duration. (Real Green Goods)

Dear Jennie, It would be an honor to purchase these soaps and to spread the word about your undertaking. It is difficult to imagine what you all are going through in Afghanistan. Sending positive energy, prayers and support!

@Jennie, I'm happy you pointed out that the cooperative members get a fair salary from the soap sales, and all the revenues fund local operations. We had to cut that from the video and I missed it.

It’s absolutely great to have such a site at hand. It brought tears to my eyes to watch the people of the coop at work: a meditative state, repeated gestures, long hours, patience and determination. I keep in mind everyone of them: the women sitting in circle sorting the almond shells, one by one, by hand, the man carefully tying a bow with a piece of Herat silk around an almond soap, the roll of thread standing by his side that he's going to use to attach the label to the soap, and his partner rapping each cherished piece of art in local newspaper. I was moved by the UNFORGETTABLE image of a man sitting meditatively in a chair - molded to his body with the hours of work - tapping endlessly to harden and shape the soap or to extract the palm oil. Now we know why these soaps are so long lasting and why they keep their hard shape ‘till the end. Such quality of work for such a good and worthy cause sets the standards high to us, as it is an everyday example of humility, team work in a real family spirit where everyone is equal, and a lesson of great courage and tenacity for a better world in an environment of terror and war. I would like to salute everyone of them and tell them that it gives us joy and great pride to buy and promote such unique products for health, skin care and to support this unmatchable local fare trade coop! May you be blessed, all of you who wake up every day for Arghand’s vision and know that here, we, like wise, wake up every morning with you, thinking and working as a team to help you reach your goal. Distance here is not an obstacle when the link is the heart and the vision is brotherhood.

@Marie Danielle Your thoughtful and heartfelt observations--and encouragement--take my breath away....this is work that is worth doing. It transcends work, when people like you help us all do our bit--to connect people with products and experiences and causes that carry deeper meaning. The Arghand Cooperative is this through and through.

As a very fortunate Arghand soap consumer, I'd like to add some secular commentary: these gorgeous orbs of soap, which look like precious minerals or polished river stones, are soul soaps-infused with the strength of their creators and--on a very pragmatic level--magical, deeply nourishing cosmetic properties. Arghand: a gift to the world in every way.

Thanks for spotlighting this company. I watched a very insightful interview with Sarah Chayes last year (see link below) and am very supportive of her work. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02222008/watch2.html

What a remarkable way of integrating meaning into our daily process of living - soap. Soap that speaks to a struggle and to resilience. This impresses me - I love everything about it - right down to the way it is packaged. Brilliant.

@Peter, I find this to be one of the most compelling Grommet stories we've done. They've had a tough go of it and a few months ago updated us. You can read the update here:

http://blog.dailygrommet.com/behind-the-scenes/update-from-afghanistan/
It's not an easy read.

We have more stories like this one, they all live in the "Social Enterprise" category of our site, you can see them here:
Social Enterprise Grommets

Sarah Chayes wrote a book on Afghanistan, and established the cooperative Arghand. Visit her website: http://arghand.sitegidget.com/index.html This is the work of an enlightened brave individual, who is supported by wonderful local people. They deserve their victory over the not so progressive rest of the Afghan nation.

@Steve - thank you for that link!

I just LOVE this soap and think that Sarah Chayes is incredible. She is at the top of my hero list along with my Husband and Greg Mortenson.

Connie - I think you've picked some very good heroes! If we all had just a fraction of their selflessness and their vision for a better tomorrow, we could move mountains.

I only wish I could do more. My (late) Husband was Special Forces and did not survive his injuries (sustained in Afghanistan back in June 2005). SSG Chritopher Neal Piper was his name and I live every day trying to do something to make things better somehow in A'stan. I have pamphlets for Sarah's soap and I buy small quantities to give to people I meet and think would be interested in the concept of helping to make A'stan a better place to live (by using the soap). Katherine, THANK YOU for all the awesome things you do!!

Connie - your husband is indeed a true hero, I am so sorry for your loss. I love that you are using these soaps to show how we can make a difference in Afghanistan. Thank you! We get updates from Arghand and hope to be able to share some news again soon.

These soaps look very yummy and fragrant. Unfortunately, I cannot order as I have a son with severe nut allergies and therefore cannot have nut products in the home.