Bamyan women’s interest in handicrafts grows significantly

BAMYAN CITY (Pajhwok): Women’s interest in making handicrafts and marketing has increased in central Bamyan province and they seek government’s cooperation in selling their products.

Najiba Karimi told Pajhwok Afghan News she has been making and selling handicrafts in Bamyan city since last three months.

She was a government employee, but started producing and selling handicrafts after losing her job to be able to support her family.

Zahak Handicrafts Association director Salma Ahmadi said she has been heading the association since many years. She told Pajhwok that women’s interest in producing handicrafts had greatly increased, but she complained about fewer sales.

She said the sale of handicrafts depended on the number of domestic and foreign tourists. “The number of tourists declines in winter and it negatively impacts our business”, Ahmadi said.

She urged local officials to help them in finding buyers and arrange handicrafts’ exhibitions, provide them necessary facilities and support businesswomen.

Bamyan Chamber of Commerce and Industry head Naeem Rezaee said the interest of female entrepreneurs in producing and selling handicrafts was increasing.

In the past, there were only 21 registered handicrafts’ associations in Bamyan, but now the number of officially registered and active handicrafts entrepreneurs has reached 180, he said.

“Women are switching to handicrafts because organizations support such businesswomen and women are not given jobs in other occupations”, he explained.

Provincial Information and Culture director Safiullah Raid, regarding the concerns and demands of businesswomen, said that their office supported such entrepreneurs and businesses.

He said they planned to arrange an exhibition of locally produced handicrafts and other local products in the hall of the Information and Culture office.

Raid said they will coordinate in introducing women-made handicrafts to tourists and some handicrafts makers will be invited to an exhibition to Kabul to display their products in near future.

aw/ma

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