Project to Assist Small Businesses in Afghanistan

Global Concepts Shipping is working with Marco Polo Export in Long Beach to supply affordable shipping services for small businesses in Afghanistan.

"Our goal is to help Afghani households at the micro level," Ali Timaji, co-founder of Global Concepts Shipping, said, "to provide a very cheap price which is affordable for Afghans to ship products from the U.S. to Afghanistan."

Global Concepts Shipping is a social business model, whose purpose is to serve people in undeveloped and developing countries.

"[A] social business is a non-loss, non-dividend company designed to address a social objective," Timaji said.

Marco Polo Export is a full service ocean freight transportation company. It is offering the use of its Long Beach port for Global Concepts Shipping to send needed goods to Afghanistan.

The first shipment will be ready in the middle of March, Timaji said.

They are looking for a nongovernmental organization or non-profit organization that can provide micro credit loans to potential clients for purchasing costs of goods.

Timaji is studying social business, economics and Middle Eastern studies at Cal State Long Beach. He founded Global Concepts Shipping with his wife in September 2009.

"Having a more accessible way for Afghans to ship resources on a micro-level," Timaji said, "will hopefully aid in sustainable development over there."