Women manage 800 factories, companies in Balkh

MAZAR-I-SHARIF (Pajhwok): About 800 factories and companies in northern Balkh province are managed by women who have employed thousands of other women.

Amna Inayatzada, head women’s section at the Balkh chamber of industry and mines, told Pajhwok Afghan News that at least 800 factories and commercial companies were managed by women in the provincial capital and some districts.

She added dozens of other women worked in every factory and company.

According to her, these factories operate in fields of agriculture, food items, handicrafts, carpet weaving and tailoring.

Meanwhile, industrialists of the province asked the caretaker government to find market for their products.

Pukhtana Afghan, in charge of a factory, said that ten years ago she established a soap and face cream manufacturing factory with the help of a foreign organization.

She said at first 60 women worked with her, but now their number had decreased to 14 due to some problems.

She added they export their products to foreign countries as well in addition to provinces, but their machines were not standard and they could not provide goods of international standard to the market.

The government should cooperate with such factories in importing machines and finding market for their products, she said.

Meanwhile, Zainab Kharddost, owner of a handcraft production company, told Pajhwok that since last four years she has been producing and selling Afghan clothes  with help of 15 other women.

Zainab said their products had customers inside and outside of the country, but their sales had decreased compared to the past.

She urged the government to create a suitable place for the growth of Afghan products and find a market for them.

Workers of these factories and companies said they were happy to have found work opportunities.

Feroza, a employee of a company, told Pajhwok that she was happy with her job.

She added she met her family’s needs through her work.

Balkh Commerce and Industry Department deputy head Khwaja Nasir Ahmad Niazi said it was his responsibility to support businessmen and industrialist women and assured them all kind of support.

He said they had addressed problems of these women and were still trying to solve all their problems in order they could further develop their business

About 900 women have been provided with work opportunities in Khadijatul Kubra women’s market in Mazar-i-Sharif.

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