Shiberghan woman opens restaurant, hires dozens

SHIBERGHAN (Pajhwok): A 27-year old woman from Shiberghan, the capital of northern Jawzjan province, promoted her coffee shop to a restaurant and says the aim of her work is to earn legitimate food and create jobs for other women.

Malalai Mubariz is a resident of Shiberghan city who opened a coffee shop special for women with an initial investment of 50,000 afghanis last year. She promoted her business and now owns a restaurant.

The restaurant  named ‘Women’s Restaurant’ offers services to men and women guests, hosts celebrations such as birthday parties, graduation, and provides study environment, offers cosmetics and some other services.

During an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Mubariz said that only four women were working in her coffee shop but currently 10 women worked in her restaurant.

She said the restaurant was open from 6am to 6pm and they offered different foods including kabab, rice, Kabuli polaw, Bolani, Samosa and others prepared by women.

“The aim of this restaurant is to earn Halal food and create jobs for other women with poor economic situation”, she said.

“I am happy to be able to make my livelihood better and employ others to work and contribute to their economy,” she said.

Mubariz, who is still unmarried, said she supported her parents, one sister, a widowed sister-in-law and two nephews.

She said she was trying to promote her business and turn her current restaurant into a bigger one so she would be able to employ more women for work.

“I hope my this step would help open door to good fortune for our future generations so take part in other social activities and work together with men,” she said.

A number of residents of Shiberghan who eat food in the restaurant say it is the first restaurant which offers services to both women and men in the city.

Mahdia Mehryar, who visited the restaurant for lunch, said, “This restaurant has special features for costumers, the environment here is friendly, the food is unique and healthy and it is a good place for study, I am happy that a woman runs this place.” She said there was no such restaurant in Shiberghan in the past.

Shagofa Arwin, another woman who visited the eatery along with her other friends, said, “I praise the courage of the woman who open this restaurant, because it is a place for women to have food and fun.”

She said she usually visited the restaurant for food when she was off work. Arwin hoped the restaurant would expand and improve its services for customers.

There are 20 other restaurants in Shiberghan city which are operated by men only.

Mds/ma

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