Community Jameel Saudi's (formerly Abdul Latif Jameel Community Service Programmes) firm belief in the pivotal role of women in the social and economic development of the Kingdom, gave way to an idea of establishing an organization that specializes in empowering women in Saudi Arabia. "Nafisa Shams" was born in 2006, under the umbrella of Community Jameel Saudi. It was named after the late wife of the group's founder, Sheikh Abdul Latif Jameel, as a tribute to her role in exemplifying the values of generosity and humility to her family and society, commemorating her graceful memory and social contributions.

As a first step towards uplifting women's contribution to the Kingdom, Nafisa Shams established an Academy of Arts and Crafts, with a commitment to providing girls and women of all educational levels with a profession or craft. Besides empowering women, another objective was the perseverance of Saudi culture whilst maintaining the balance of societal duties.

After a couple of years, Nafisa Shams established a specialized company to oversee a flexible business model. Focused on training local women in production, providing them with the support and resources needed to work from home producing arts and crafts, it enabled them to make active contributions to the local economic development. After establishing expertise in the field of high-quality manufacturing, Nafisa Shams also evolved as a production centers to serve individuals and businesses wishing to benefit from its expertise and resources. This opened doors for craftswomen to work and market their products more widely than was ever possible before.