Nimroz woman opens 7,000afs bakery

ZARANJ (Pajhwok): A woman has opened a bakery with an investment of 7,000 afghanis in Zaranj, the capital of northwestern Nimroz province.

Having provided jobs for 10 females, she, plans to create more jobs for women in the future if the authorities concerned support her.

Fatima Ghiljai, the founder of Zewar Paz Bakery, told Pajhwok Afghan News she had set up the bakery two weeks ago. She is currently working along with 10 other women.

Pushed by economic woes and unemployment into the venture, Ghiljai commented: “Thanks to this work, I am earning a halal rizq (lawful income) and supporting my family of 14.”

She has 10 years of experience in making pastries and her bakery produces various types of sweets, cakes, and cookies, with her sales increasing daily.

Previously, she baked cookies at home and distributed them to shops, but due to a lack of equipment, she was unable to expand her business. But with the purchase of additional equipment, she is receiving more orders and has employed 10 other women.

She explained that, despite not having had the opportunity to attend school due to certain childhood challenges and being illiterate, her passion for cooking, especially baking cakes and cookies, allowed her to quickly make her business thrive.

Ghiljai expressed, “If the government and organizations support me, I will purchase electric equipment and machinery, expand the workshop, and hire up to 50 women.”

One bakery worker Safia Muradi, who is responsible for product supplies and promotion, recalled she was unemployed before. But now she is very pleased to be working there.

“I have created WhatsApp, Telegram, and Instagram groups and printed business cards and advertise on social media, which has brought us many customers.”

Muradi added they had signed contracts for supplying 30 kilograms of biscuits to different customers.

Additionally, Ibrahim Baloch, a pastry shop manager in Zaranj, believed the bakery, if supported by aid organisations, could grow significantly in a short period of time and employ many more women.

He receives up to 30 kilograms of cookies daily from the bakery, and the number of customers interested in its sweets is on the rise.

Palwasha Shams, the provincial head of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, highlighted the establishment of the bakery as a significant initiative driven by a woman’s determination.

The initiative should receive institutional support to create jobs for more women, she opined, noting an unprecedented number of women and girls had entered trade and investment in the past two years.

According to her, about 60 women are engaged in different businesses in Nimroz. About 250 women have registered with the municipality and 25 of them have received licences from the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Around 1,000 women are engaged in informal online or home-based businesses.

She called the chamber as a bridge connecting women entrepreneurs with the government and said, “We have been working for a year now to create an exclusive market for women to work under one umbrella and increase boost sales.”

She says the chamber aims to enhance women’s entrepreneurial skills through training sessions, and this initiative will continue.

sa/mud