Sar-i-Pul female entrepreneur eyes work for many women  

SAR-I-PUL (Pajhwok): Wahida Faizi, a female entrepreneur in northern Sar-i-Pul province, has recently opened a confectionery factory. She says if supported, she can provide employment to many other women.

Faizi told Pajhwok Afghan News that she opened the shop 15 days ago with an investment of 60,000 afghanis in order to be self-sufficient and provide employment for other women.

She bakes cakes and cookies in her house: “In this factory, different types of cookies, cakes and Baklawa and party cakes are prepared.”

According to her, currently 50 girls and women are working with her as trainees and she plans to increase their number to 150-200.

Faizi said currently she could not afford to pay her trainees, but in case of support and growth of her factory, she would pay salaries to the girls and women and would make them self-sufficient.

She went on to say the girls working in her factory hailed from different parts of the province and her only goal was to train them.

Zahra Hussaini, one of the trainees, said: “I’m very happy learning how to make cakes and cookies. I want to create my own business after learning here.”

She added women and girls working in the factory were happy to be able to help their family economy

Mufti Abdul Shakir, director of Sar-i-Pul commerce and Industry, welcomed the creation of the confectionery factory and vowed to support it.

He said currently 1,200 women in Sar-i-Pul were working in 180 centres of carpet weaving, embroidery, tailoring and other professions.

sa/ma