Gabriella Ghidoni is a professional dedicated to promoting and growing ethical fashion. Working in developing countries, she trains vulnerable groups in apparel, jewellery and home furnishing design and production. She believes in the value of ethic trading and is committed to sharing her experience as a professional with women in Afghanistan.

Gabriella graduated from the Padova University (Italy) in Psychology. As a psychologist, she has focused on understanding the real needs of vulnerable people in developing countries. Her work is based on strengthening capacities where there is potential. She worked in Sierra Leone in 2001 for CCOPI providing counselling relief to child soldiers.

Since 2003 Gabriella has lived in Afghanistan. For the first year, she worked as a stress counsellor for the UN Mission. She then opened “Royah”, her own company and atelier in Kabul. Royah in Farsi means the woman who has a vision, the dreamer. The vision of Royah is to give opportunities to Afghan women so they can make an income and have an improved life.

Gabriella is a consultant for the ILO, Terre Solidali, GVC and DACAAR- a Danish NGO working with Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Afghanistan, training them in design and fashion. Using her skills as a fashion designer at the UN ILO International Training Centre, Kabul she trained 40 women in apparel fashion and jewellery design. These students have now opened their own association and continue their work as a profit-making enterprise.

Gabriella's work has been published in Italian and British magazines; her designs are available in Italy and Afghanistan.