A pilot initiative launched by NOVE in 2020 in Kabul to encourage Afghan businesswomen to withstand the severe economic recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

An Italian-Afghan jury, composed of institutions, foundations, banks, and relevant Afghan authorities, evaluated proposals submitted by 27 businesswomen from various provinces. The Prize was awarded to Laila Alokozay of Alokozay Handicrafts, a company founded in 2014 that produced traditional garments using modern techniques and exported to both the United States and Asia.

The second edition of the DWB Prize was cancelled when the Taliban seized power and banned women’s empowerment activities. NOVE, however, continued negotiations with them, and in 2025 obtained authorization to reorganize a prize for Afghan businesswomen (Women Business Prize: https://novecaringhumans.org/progetti/women-business-prize-2025-afghanistan/).

Afghanistan – Kabul, 2020
Donors: The Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) Kabul, LG Investimenti Spa
Operational Partners: Department of Women’s Affairs (DoWA) of Kabul, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)