Lady Confectioner

Written by: Yama Rahi

The number of women who have a business in different parts of Afghanistan is increasing day by day. Some women started their work from home with limited facilities and later, they have been able to expand their business out of their homes.

AEPO’s writer/producer had a trip to Herat province and there he has talked to, a woman,   Parasto Babur who produces confectioneries.

Parasto says about her activities: “I started my work from home about a year ago with 3000 Afghanis and later I succeeded to expand my work to a small confectionery factory in the bazaar.

At the beginning, my family did not agree with me and they thought that my activity might not have a positive result but I started my work and I exhibited my products in an exhibition held in Herat city. There at the exhibition, I signed a contract with a person to sell my products by charging a percentage. Later, my capital increased and I started work outside of my home in a shop.

Before starting my activity, I surveyed the market and then I started to produce a high-quality product. We attracted the attention of more customers and our more customers are stores and supermarkets in Herat city. Now I sell more than 50 kgs confectioneries daily.”

Picnic Tents:

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to Ahmad Rishad Sidiqi who makes picnic tents.

Sediqi says: “once I went to Qargha (a park in swimming pool at the east of Kabul city) and there I saw some shelters for rent in Qargha and I got the idea of making the tent for those who go to a picnic. One year before, I started my work with about 50 thousand Afghanis.

I make tents from a nylon cloth, folding grills, zip, and iron stand. These tents are made in different varieties of colors and different sizes. The weight of a six-person tent is about 2 kilograms. We spend about 1000 Afghanis on a six-person tent and then we sell each six-person tent for 1200-1300 Afghanis.

Our more customers are from Kabul city who want to go to picnics and if someone orders us from a province, we could send them the tents as a wholesale.”