The Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) says that investing in women’s economic empowerment not only helps their businesses grow but also creates employment opportunities, generates income, and enables other women to achieve financial independence.
In a report released on Wednesday, 13 Aqrab, the fund stated that supporting women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan goes beyond improving their individual economic circumstances. It can also create opportunities for other women to receive training and develop professional skills.
The report highlights the experience of a woman in Nangarhar province who started her business by producing pickles and jam in her home kitchen. After receiving financial assistance and the necessary equipment, she was able to increase her production by 50 percent.
She now produces a wider range of products and has expanded her market reach from local markets to major shops in Jalalabad.
According to the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund, her business has not only become a source of income for her but has also evolved into a training and apprenticeship centre for other women. Several women who received training through the business have since established small businesses of their own.
The fund emphasised that supporting a single woman entrepreneur can have an impact far beyond an individual business. It can create new economic opportunities for other women and help them move towards financial independence.
Writer:Roya Stanikzai
