An Afghan woman deported from Iran has turned her experience making pickles into a small business in Herat, starting with just 300 afghanis (around $5) and eventually creating jobs for six other women and young women.
Maliha Yousufi told Amu TV that she made pickles while living in Iran and continued the work after returning to Afghanistan. Her products are now distributed to markets and wholesalers across Herat city.
“I started my work with 300 afghanis,” Yousufi said. “My husband and I went to the wholesale market and bought 300 afghanis worth of vegetables.”
Yousufi said her business has since expanded, with 6,000 to 7,000 afghanis ($92 to $107) invested in production each day.
“Last year, we earned a good income from making pickles,” she said. “During last winter, half of our household expenses were covered through this work, and now other women are working with me as well.”
Among them is Salima, a mother of two who earns between 100 and 150 afghanis a day at the business.
“At first, I was a trainee here, and now I have learned the work,” Salima told Amu TV. “Financially, it also helps. We earn between 100 and 150 afghanis ($1.5 to $2.3) a day and use it for household expenses.”
For some of the women, the work provides more than an income.
Negar, a Herat resident who has been unable to continue her education, said she has worked at the business for about a year and that having a job has helped her cope with the effects of being confined largely to her home.
“It is better than staying unemployed at home,” she said. “It is good for us mentally and psychologically, and we can also cover some of our expenses through this work.”
Amu TV’s findings indicate that more than 200 women in Herat are producing pickles, either through small businesses or from their homes.
The women have continued their businesses without financial support from international organizations or institutions run by Taliban authorities.
For Yousufi, what began with a small purchase of vegetables after her return from Iran has become a source of income not only for her own family but also for other women seeking opportunities to work.
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